The Cuban Fund of Cultural Goods (FCBC) summoned the 21st International Handicraft Fair Fiart 2017, scheduled for December as part of the Iberoamerican Year of Handicraft to be commemorated in 2018. Under the premise of Art, utility and trade, Fiart 2017 is dedicated to the southeastern province of Santiago de Cuba and the creations in glass as artistic manifestation, and according to organizers, it hopes to consolidate in a hub of exchange on the development of handicraft in the world.

"We have to get to know each other more, to understand each other better, to trust each other more, to live better." With this slogan the world tour of the United Buddy Bears promotes tolerance and understanding between peoples, cultures and religions. The Buddy Bears have been created by artists of different nationalities representing more than 140 countries. The Cuban bear was created by Nancy Torres, a Cuban artist with a long career, living in Germany. Starting January 16th, 2015 and until March, "the Bears" were exposed in the San Francisco de Asís Plaza, Old Havana, Cuba.