Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro meets Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel met actors, musicians, philanthropists and cultural promoters on Friday (September 28) at the emblematic "Dakota" building in New York, after accepting an invitation from Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro and Tribeca Film Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal.

De Niro told the media he has visited Cuba twice and praised its people. He said promoting culture would help to encourage U.S.-Cuban rapprochement.

Diaz-Canel said it was important to "build bridges and not walls from the perspective of culture."

A group of thirty well-known figures were present at the event including singers Harry Belafonte and Patti Smith, actress Dakota Johnson, musician Chris Martin, the lead singer of alt-rock band Coldplay, actress Katie Holmes and producer Paula Weinstein.

Also attending were rappers Nas and Q-Tip, filmmakers Bennet Miller and Darren Aronofsky and art collectors Carole and Alex Rosenberg, who also organise the Havana film festival in New York.