Cuban leader Fidel Castro is celebrating his 83rd birthday Thursday and delivered a message of hope to the Cuban people.

New photographs of a smiling and healthy Castro were released to coincide with his birthday.

Castro, sidelined from power by health problems, has not been seen in public since July 2006. He formally handed over Cuba's leadership to his brother Raul, 78, in early 2008.

Cuban government-run newspapers on Thursday ran an opinion article signed by Fidel Castro that calls on Cubans to have the courage to "continue forward" in a world in economic turmoil and in the face of aggressive US policies.

"In my opinion, the best will always be to have a just cause to defend and the hope to continue forward," Castro wrote.

The ex-leader makes no reference in the article to his birthday or the various cultural activities in his honor being held across the island nation.

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