The Italian Legacy in the Dominican Republic

Italians, who have in this way benefited the development of the Caribbean country. Such contributions are

looked at jointly, simply because the country’s economic development has always been accompanied by an

Italian technological and scientific contribution, as recently acknowledged by the Dominican Foreign Affairs

Minister Roberto Álvarez in a speech made on September 22, 2020 entitled “Foreign and Commercial Policy

of the Dominican Republic in the Context of Covid-19” when he noted: “

In terms of cooperation, the Dominican

Republic has benefited mainly from the advanced Italian technology applied to the agricultural and craft industry. The

scholarships, professional and academic training of our young people have been extremely valuable.

”

The section on economics and science looks at an important area of Italian influence, explaining how and

in what sectors these disciplines have produced tangible outcomes in the development of the Dominican Re-

public. The section on economics opens with a fresco painted by Arturo Martínez Moya on large and small

Italian investors and companies (“Italian Investments in the Modern Dominican Economy”), followed by the

history of the Dominican-Italian Chamber of Commerce, written by its president, Celso Marranzini, one of

the most respected entrepreneurs in the country, who in the chapter “The Dominican-Italian Chamber of

Commerce” also talks about his family and its role in the development of the country.

The article by Raymundo González, “Science and Environmental Protection in Agricultural Develop-

ment: Dr. Raffaele Ciferri’s Contributions in the Dominican Republic,” discusses the founder of Dominican

agrarian science, the Italian Raffaele Ciferri. I am grateful to Roberto Cassá, Director General of the Archivo

General de la Nación (AGN) and author of an essay in this book, for having introduced me to Raymundo

González, who conducted research on Ciferri as part of the AGN scientific program. There has also been an

Italian contribution to the mining sector, one of the Dominican Republic’s principal exporters, described by

Renzo Seravalle in “The Italian Contribution to Mining Development in the Dominican Republic,” while

Mu-Kien Adriana Sang Ben in her essay “Frank Rainieri Marranzini: Creator of Dreams” focuses on one of the

most popular tourist destinations worldwide—Punta Cana—and its founder Frank Rainieri.

The last section of the book looks at various Italian contributions to important institutions, such as the

media and the legal industry, that are essential for a country’s development as a protector of liberties and its

cohesiveness as a society, as well as Italian influences on Dominican society in general and its identity. Antonio

Lluberes retraces the founding of the first newspaper in the Dominican Republic 132 years ago (on August 1,

1889) and the contribution of Italian journalists and publishers in his essay titled “Italian Journalists.”

Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Milton Ray Guevara, who gave an authoritative lecture on Italy’s

contributions to International Constitutional Law, and Dominican law in particular, at UNIBE University on

October 25, 2018, as part of the celebrations of the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and

the Dominican Republic, inspired the essay in this book entitled “Italy’s Contributions to Constitutional Law,”

written by Professor Wenceslao Vega Boyrie and based on this important speech by Milton Ray Guevara.

I had the privilege of awarding the honor of Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy to Guillermo

Rodríguez Vicini during the national holiday of 2019. This significant honor recognizes the contribution of the

lawyer Rodríguez Vicini to the cause of Italianism in the Dominican Republic and his continued support of the

country’s Italian institutions. I asked him to write a testimonial, which is included in this book as “Angiolino

Vicini Trabucco (1880-1961)—An Immigrant Who Never Forgot His Homeland,” because I had remembered

with emotion a letter that he allowed me to read and which had been written by his grandfather, Angiolino

Vicini Trabucco, to his own father in which Trabucco recalled his departure from Italy. The letter is a poetic,

poignant text that I believe is important for this collection; I also have decided to formally dedicate to Angio-

lino Vicini the new Residence and Embassy that will be built on the land he donated to Italy on Calle Rafael

Augusto Sánchez, in the Naco district of Santo Domingo.

The President of the “Casa de Italia,” Renzo Seravalle, along with Professor Rolando Forestieri authored

a piece on this vital organization, which brings together the community and which stepped in to carry out

certain functions of the Embassy while it was closed in 2013, significantly promoting and preserving the Italian

spirit and protecting the Italian community during this time period. Next, Professor Mu-Kien Adriana Sang

INTRODUCTION BY THE EDITOR

Ceremony to launch

the commemorations

of the birth

bicentenary of Admiral

Giovanni Battista

Cambiaso, at the

esplanade of the

Ministry of Defense,

with the participation

of the leading

military authorities

of the country. Santo

Domingo, December

4, 2020. From the

left: the children of

the Ambassador of

Italy, Matteo and

Bianca; the wife of the

Ambassador of Italy,

Mrs. Roberta Canepari;

the Ambassador of

Italy Andrea Canepari;

Vice Admiral of the

ARD Joaquín Augusto

Peignand Ramírez,

Vice Minister of

Defense for Naval

and Coastal Affairs;

Major General of the

ERD Víctor Mercedes

Cepeda, Vice Minister

of Defense for Military

Affairs.