Education Minister Opens MINERD Pavilion at the 15th Book Fair

Education Minister Opens MINERD Pavilion at the 15th Book Fair
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, April 21, 2012

Education Minister, Mrs. Josefina Pimentel, stated that the celebration of the recentlyopened 15th International Book Fair (2012) is an event of fundamental importance since it will bring about advances to Dominican education, and places books within the reach of young children and adolescents, making it possible for them to enjoy a space that has been created for the development of education and culture.

“As co-organizer of the Book Fair, which attracts the interest of millions of people every year, MINERD is highly committed to its success and has designed an interesting program of activities that will help it shine even more,” …

While she opened the Ministry of Education’s (MINERD) pavilion, Mrs. Pimentel praised her organization during the country’s most important cultural event. Several vice-ministers and other staff from the Ministry also participatedin this event, as well as the Secretary General and Educational Coordinator of the Central American Integration System (SICA), María Eugenia Lantigua Padilla.

The Minister said that the pavilion will have the participation of highly regarded speakers, artists, and cultural organizers who will make an effort to ensure that the pavilion will fulfill the mission of being a space to foster culture and a positive coexistence, and will nourish the souls of visitors.

She said that the pavilion is meant to pay homage, through its modeland structure, to the culture of the earliest Central American populations; that region received an invitation as a guest of honor to the fair, which has also been dedicated to Dominican writer Enriquillo Sánchez.

“As co-organizer of the Book Fair, which attracts the interest of millions of people every year, MINERD is highly committed to its success and has designed an interesting program of activities that will help it shine even more,” the Minister said.

She emphasized that thousands of primary and middle school students who are part of the nation’s educational system have started to take advantageof the fair, in the best way possible, a fact that points to the book as an invaluable cultural asset.

The Vice-minister in charge of Cultural Affairs, Mr. Luis de León, offered a welcoming speech, during which he said that the 15th International Book Fair is the vision of a government that promotes education as a fundamental and decisive platform from which progress, development and social equality and modernization will come about, so that the “Dominican Republic can advance and integrate itself, more and more every day, with the rest of the Latin American countries.”

He indicated that the program that will take place in the MINERD pavilion will include about 300 activities in which 41 of the organization’s agencies will participate.

Deacon Justo Hernández, of the San Antonio de Padua parish, was in charge of the blessing of the ceremony.

The Minister unveiled a gallery of photos of 18 well-deserving teachers from the various school districts, who were recognized during the ceremony for their contributions to the enrichment of the event.

Pavilion Design and Details

The Minister explained that the MINERD pavilion was designed by its Department of School Infrastructure. It is symbolic of a pyramid, the most significant architectural structure found in Mayan culture, which was the most widespread structure in Central America during the time in which it was built.

The pavilion has various areas where the different agencies of MINERD showcase some of their programs, as is the case of the Student Welfare, with its school breakfast program, offered in three modalities: Urban-Marginal, Real, and Border.

In addition, the National Institute of Physical Education (INEFI for its acronym in Spanish) is represented with its chess and basketball games, as well as with its eyes and oral health programs that are being developed in the schools. The IT area has 15 computers and free Internet, which can be used by visitors. Radio Educativa transmits from the pavilion.And there is also an auditorium where conferences and presentations are held and artistic activities performed,which has seating capacity for 80 people.

The main section of the pavilion has a replica of the El Salvador’s Izalco Volcano and it showcases part of the Central Americanregion’s abundant biodiversity. The 260-day and 20-month Mayan calendar is showcased at the pavilion’s entrance.

The Minister of Education, Mrs. Josefina Pimentel, during the inauguration of the MINERD pavilion at the 15th International Book Fair. She is accompanied by Vice-ministers William Sifres, Head of the Departmentof School Infrastructure; Luis de León, in charge of Cultural Affairs; and Giselle Feliz from the Administrative area.

Front view of theMINERD Pavillion.