The Italian Legacy in the Dominican Republic

THE ITALIAN LEGACY IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

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tors arrived from Italy. In 2020, a similar program was established at the Catholic University of Santo Domin-

go (UCSD), thanks to the collaboration of the chancellors Monsignor Dr. Ramón Benito

Ángeles

Fernández

and Monsignor Jesús Castro Marte.

These important events, which have taken place in the space of such a short time, are a sign of renewed

attention on the part of the two countries for what they have done and can achieve together. These initia-

tives have also been reported in the Dominican and Italian media. With regard to the press, I would like to

point out the exceptional coverage by the Dominican media, which have shown a marked interest in creating

stronger relations with Italy. Particularly noteworthy within this context was the media coverage of the 2018

national holiday, which featured a front-page photograph in the newspaper

Hoy

, as well as a

Listín Diario

ed-

itorial, “Italia y RD, una relación a toda prueba” (Italy and the Dominican Republic, a foolproof relationship)

on September 21, 2019, and a two-page interview that I gave and which was published on the front page of

the

Diario Libre

newspaper with the title “Italia y RD Tienen Una Gran Historia En Común” (Italy and the

Dominican Republic Have a Great History in Common).

The longstanding diplomatic and consular relations between Italy and the Dominican Republic seemed

destined, at a certain point in history, to have little more than a commercial value, to the point of diminishing

the mutual strategic interest between the two countries. The oldest Italian community, which had contrib-

uted so greatly in the construction of the country’s cultural and economic identities, seemed to be moving

further and further away from its country of origin.

The initial closure of the embassy, and the resulting determination and commitment of the Dominican

society, as well as the political and economic sectors, to allow for an operational Italian embassy, demonstrat-

ed to Italy the fervent Dominican desire to begin a new chapter.

At the same time Italy decided to reopen the embassy, and under the guidance of the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs and International Relations in Rome, we unveiled an ambitious program to strengthen relations;

Event promoting

the “Made in Italy”

initiative at the

Residence of the

Ambassador of Italy,

Santo Domingo,

Autumn 2020.