(16 Aug 2001)

1. President Fidel Castro arriving at graduation ceremony for medical students
2. Cutaway of Cuban flags
3. Castro looking at his watch
3. Drama performance on stage, by medical students
4. Castro watching performance
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Maricelis Mojena, medical science graduate:
"Yesterday it was a very special day for all of us, because we celebrated the 75th anniversary of the birth of one of the most relevant figures of this century, our chief commander Fidel."
6. Wide shot of Castro walking across stage
7. Various of Castro handing over diploma to medical student
8. Close-up of graduate showing her diploma to camera and smiling
9. Close-up of Castro

STORYLINE:

Cuba's President Fidel Castro returned home from Venezuela on Tuesday - to finish off celebrating his 75th birthday.

His actual birthday was on Monday - but he spent most of the day in Venezuela with his good friend and political ally President Hugo Chavez.

Back in Cuba Castro attended a graduation ceremony for several hundred medical students.

Student Maricelis Mojena said they were celebrating the birth of, "one of the most relevant figures of this century."

A hundred and-50 foreign graduates studying in Cuba also attended the event.

Cuba's "Maximum Leader" returned to Cuba late on Monday after an exhausting three-day trip to Venezuela that took him all around the country.

The graduates in medical sciences on Tuesday gave Castro a book signed by all of the students and the president personally presented about 20 of the students with their diplomas.

Castro also received birthday wishes separately on Tuesday from a visiting Russian government delegation.

The Communist Party daily newspaper, Granma, on Wednesday did not offer details of the meeting between Castro and Alexander Voloshin, a special envoy of President Vladimir Putin.

Birthday celebrations for Castro, who has been in power for 42 years, traditionally have always been simple, low-key events.

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