CasaCuba is a new initiative at Florida International University to build the premier hub for Cuban research and culture. The initiative will seek to promote exchange and collaboration among Cubans from around the world and foster appreciation of the Cuban heritage through educational and cultural programs, events and exhibits, with the eventual goal of building a 50,000-square-foot facility on FIU’s campus. CasaCuba will provide academic and professional development resources such as conferences and seminars, mentorship opportunities, co-working spaces, student scholarships, career workshops, industry focus groups and networking platforms. It will also host artistic performances, interactive exhibits and events anchored in popular Cuban traditions, with the participation of experts on Cuba and leading Cuban professionals across the arts and humanities, the natural and social sciences, business, engineering, sports and other fields. In collaboration with other organizations dedicated to the exploration and preservation of Cuban history and culture, CasaCuba will seek to inspire a strong sense of identity and cultural pride within the Cuban community, informing present dialogue on Cuba and serving as repository for the experiences of Cubans from around the world. “The CasaCuba initiative formalizes what has been true for many years: Cuba is in FIU’s DNA,” said FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg. “Almost one million Cubans call Miami home, with Cuban immigrants making up one-third of Miami-Dade County’s population. There is no location outside of Cuba with a greater connection to Cuban and Cuban-American people than Miami, and no university with greater expertise in the study of the island nation than FIU. This new center will be accessible to our students, the larger South Florida community, and visitors from around the world.”