Blogger academy opens in the most unlikely place

A blogger academy has opened in perhaps one of the most unlikely places on earth, namely in communist Cuba; a country which has restricted freedom of expression for the past five decades. But it now appears as though even the island nation’s anachronistic communist leaders have come to realize that they can do little to completely halt the spread of blogging, online content writing and social networking. The Bloggers Academy of Cuba opened its doors to blogging fans for the first time yesterday. According to a report in the Miami Herald, 28 Cubans showed up for the first day of courses.

While the first blogs appeared in western countries 10 years ago, blogging is an almost entirely new phenomenon in Cuba and as such, bloggers must learn nearly everything from scratch. But many of these aspiring bloggers will make use of Yoani Sánchez, a veteran in the field of blogging and online content writing. The first course, set to last for three months, will aim to cover some of the basics of online journalism, as well as offer an introduction to anthropology and law. Perhaps the most promising aspect of this new academy is that it embraces the key tenet of blogging, namely independence. Rather than being a state-sponsored project with strong political ties, the Bloggers Academy of Cuba appears to be a completely independent venture, drawing on Sanchez’s experience, as well as those of other journalists who have been known for their vocal and freely-formulated opinions.

The fact that even reclusive regimes and countries are now opening the doors to bloggers sends a signal that blogging has not only grown in prominence in the West, but throughout the world.