150 Years of Cigar Factory Readers

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Zoe Nacedo, director of the Tobacco Museum, was accompanied by three readers with over a decade of experience: Grisel Valdés, from the H Upmann Factory; Odalys Lara, from the Corona Factory, and Jacinto Taguada, from the Partagas Factory. They put an entertaining spin on Nocedo’s study by reading excerpts from some of the most traditional books, the volumes that have inspired larger-than-life brands like Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta.

From the outset, the cigar factory reader is the only working post that was first approved by the employees and then by the front office. The evolution from the early 20th century of mighty communicative means, such as radio, did not stop this practice from developing, but it rather made it expand further into the factories.

The cigar factory readings are undisputed elements within the Cuban tobacco industry’s traditions, evolving into an efficient way to bring education, culture and science closer to the working class. No wonder it’s now recognized as Cultural Heritage of the Cuban Nation, hoping to become World Immaterial Cultural Heritage in the near future.