Minister praises Duarte’s values during the celebration of the National Flag Day

Minister praises Duarte’s values during the celebration of the National Flag Day
Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, February 27, 2013

The Minister of Education, Josefina Pimentel,stated that, 200 years after the birth of Founding Father Juan Pablo Duarte, his legacy is still inspiring and his memory is lasting, and that they motivate the people to continue to learn from his example and his determination, his honesty, inner strength and organizing skills.

“Duarte took the flag that flew on the island during the 1822 – 1844 interregnum and embedded a white cross in it to send a message to the world that the Dominican people, as they entered into a life of freedom, proclaimed the union of all races through the bonds of civilization and Christianity,” …

Minister Pimentel made these remarks about the Founding Father during the celebration of the National Flag Day, which was held at the Altar of the Homeland. The event, which was chaired by the Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, coincided with the 197th anniversary of the birth of Ramón Matías Mella, also a Founding Father of the Nation.

She said that there is no institution in the country that feels more worthy and motivated to honor the national flag and to celebrate the bicentennial of the birth of the illustrious Juan Pablo Duarte than the schools.

She statedthat the Ministry of Education (MINERD) “joyfully joins the commemorative events honoring Juan Pablo Duarte, who forged our nation and is forever an American source of pride, because he was a profound thinker and a steadfasthumanist, a fair and balanced person who acted motivated by a solid libertarian calling and a high patrioticidealism.”

She recalled that the National Flag was the idea of the great strategist and visionary Juan Pablo Duarte, who included its design in the oath that he and nine other colleagues took when he founded the secret society La Trinitaria (The Trinity) in 1838, with the purpose of liberating the territory and creating the Dominican Republic.

The Minister also highlighted the courage of the Founding Fathers, while requesting that honor be given to Juan Pablo Duarte, the founder of the Dominican Republic; Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, who raised the flag on February 27, 1844; and Matías Ramón Mella, hero of ElTrabucazo (the blunderbuss shot), apatriotic and determined militant expression.

She argued that Duarte did not worked alone, because he believed in studying and on teamwork, and he encouraged young people like himself to study and work on the project of the nation in the making, for the purpose of building a sovereign republic.

She added that the homeland expects its children to follow the everlasting example of the builders of the nation and to work toward strengtheningtheir legacy.

She noted that the flag waves free in the national consciousness on the dates the country commemorates the 50th anniversary of the first democratic government of the Dominican Republic, after the execution of dictator Trujillo, which was led by Professor Juan Bosch; the 130th anniversary of the first time the National Anthem was played; and the 150th anniversary of the start of the War of the Restoration, with the Capotillo uprising, which will be celebrated next August 16th.

Minister Pimentel stated: “we will continue to work for our country and will fight hard and with enthusiasm for the development of the Dominican Republic, based on the values ??of honesty, freedom and justice, which the President of the Republic, Mr. Danilo Medina,has adopted withso much respect.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Juan Daniel Balcácer, President of the Permanent Committee of Patriotic Celebrations(CPEP – Comisión Permanente de Efemérides Patrias), said that Duarte’s design of the Dominican flag was based on the principle of the union of all Dominicans, regardless of their ethnic origin, religious creed or ideological differences.

“Duarte took the flag that flew on the island during the 1822 – 1844 interregnum and embedded a white cross in it to send a message to the world that the Dominican people, as they entered into a life of freedom, proclaimed the union of all races through the bonds of civilization and Christianity,” Balcácer said.

Prior to the ceremony, the Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, who attended on behalf of President Danilo Medina, receivedthe usual military honors from a joint battalion of the Armed Forces,in front of the Puerta del Conde.

The agenda of the event included the participation of singer and songwriter Manuel Jiménez, who performed a song dedicated to Duarte. In addition,Grupo Aura, accompanied by a choir of children from the school República del Brasil, sang the Anthem to the Flag (Himno a la Bandera).

The event concluded with a dramatized tribute to the Flag by a group of actors. The tribute, which was written and directed by Pinky Pintor,wasinspired by historical sources anddelivered as a musical.

From left to right, Joaquín Gerónimo, Superintendent of Pensions; Ramón Ventura Camejo, Minister of Public Administration; Education Minister, Josefina Pimentel; Minister of the Interior and Police José Ramón Fadul;the Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Margarita Cedeño de Fernández; Minister of the Armed Forces, Admiral Sigfrido Pared Pérez, and the President of the Permanent Committee of Patriotic Celebrations, Juan Daniel Balcácer

Youth who participated in a musical tribute to the National Flag, with a program by Pinky Pintor