Jesi, Italy — The Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Jesi, in collaboration with the Centro Fidel Castro Ruz and under the patronage of the Embassy of Cuba in Italy and the Marche Region, with the support of the Associazione Para un Principe Enano, is proud to present “Fidel: Story of a Leader – The Man Who Defied the Century,” an in-depth exhibition dedicated to Fidel Castro Ruz, one of the most influential and controversial figures of the 20th century.
Running from June 12 to November 22, 2026, at Palazzo Bisaccioni in Jesi (AN), the exhibition is curated by Mauro Tarantino, Secretary General of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Jesi, and René González Barrios, Director of the Centro Fidel Castro Ruz in Havana and a personal friend of Fidel. It is organized to commemorate both the centenary of Castro’s birth and the tenth anniversary of his passing, offering a rare opportunity for historical reflection on a leader whose life and political action were inextricably woven into the fabric of modern world history.
“Fidel: Story of a Leader – The Man Who Defied the Century” does not set out to erect a monument or to fuel controversy. Rather, it seeks to restore the full complexity of a human journey spanning nearly a century of history. The curators have designed an exhibition that presents Fidel Castro’s trajectory through political, social, and cultural challenges, allowing visitors to explore the man behind the myth without offering definitive answers or moral judgments.
The exhibition unfolds in chronological order, guiding visitors through the key phases of Castro’s life and political experience. Each section is documented through photographs, documents, personal objects, and audiovisual testimonies that capture successes, hardships, and decisions made under extreme circumstances.
Early Years and Formation — The journey begins in Birán, eastern Cuba, where Castro was born in 1926 into a landowning family. It was here that young Fidel first experienced the stark social inequalities that would shape his worldview. His studies at religious institutes in Santiago and Havana, followed by his enrollment in the Faculty of Law at the University of Havana in 1945, proved decisive in forming his political consciousness, deepening his understanding of social and national issues, and drawing him toward opposition movements against the Batista regime.
The Revolutionary Spark — Among the most significant moments of the early revolutionary phase is the assault on the Moncada Barracks on July 26, 1953 — the first symbolic act of rupture with the dictatorship. Though a military failure, the episode consolidated Castro’s emergence as a leader and laid the foundation for the Movimiento 26 de Julio, later organized in Mexico alongside Ernesto Che Guevara and fellow Cuban exiles.
From the Sierra Maestra to Victory — The exhibition’s centerpiece covers the Granma expedition in December 1956, the guerrilla settlement in the Sierra Maestra, and the actions that culminated in the victory at Santa Clara in 1958 and Batista’s flight from Cuba.
Revolutionary Transformation — The exhibition delves into the sweeping political, social, and economic changes that followed the revolutionary victory of 1959: from the Agrarian Reform to the Literacy Campaign, from the nationalization of industries to the reorganization of the healthcare system, all the way to the tense international relations with the United States and the Soviet Union — including the handling of the 1962 Missile Crisis.
The Personal Dimension — Castro’s personal side is not overlooked: his passion for sports, his relationships with intellectuals and artists, and his historic alliance with Che Guevara — one of the most emblematic collaborations of the revolution. The exhibition also covers Castro’s later years, marked by reflection on internal and global challenges, the Special Period, the fall of socialism in Europe, and his rapprochement with the Catholic Church, including papal visits to Cuba.
All materials on display have been generously loaned by the Centro Fidel Castro Ruz in Havana, ensuring the authenticity and historical value of the artifacts presented.
“Fidel: Story of a Leader – The Man Who Defied the Century” invites visitors not to find ready-made answers but to engage with history on their own terms. It offers the tools to understand the complexity of a man who challenged an entire century — restoring his historical and human dimensions and allowing each visitor to form a personal opinion.
Photo credits: All exhibited materials have been loaned by the Fidel Castro Ruz Center in Havana.
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