New Orleans Mayor To Travel To Cuba For Mayors’ Conference

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is traveling next week to Cuba as part of a delegation of mayors from around the country.

The trip was announced Wednesday in a news release from the mayor's office. It will take place May 25 through May 29.

The trip is the first by a delegation of the U.S. Conference of Mayors since 1978.

It comes as the U.S. is opening up diplomatic relations with the Caribbean island nation after decades of isolation.

The mayor's office said that over the last two years, Landrieu has met with senior Cuban officials to discuss ways to improve relations between New Orleans and Cuba including having Cuba take part in the 2017 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the city's 300th Anniversary celebration in 2018.

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