GFDD Projects, Programs and Publications Presented at Santo Domingo’s XVII International Book Fair

GFDD Projects, Programs and Publications Presented at Santo Domingo’s XVII International Book Fair
Santo Domingo, 05/05/2014

The International Book Fair in Santo Domingo’s Plaza Cultura came to a successful close on May 5, 2014 after two weeks of bustling activity for visitors and book aficionados.  Now in its 17th year, the Book Fair was dedicated to prolific writer, Santiago-born Domingo Moreno Jimenes, “creator of postumismo” in the Dominican Republic.

The venue not only attracts thousands of people interesting in learning about the latest leading national and international publications, but also has become a significant meeting place for  authors, editors and publishers and other leading industry professionals. Activities during the Fair involved various workshops, conferences, film screenings  and  book presentations by more than 450 national and international exhibitors including Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE).

In 2014, GFDD was able to participate with several of its educational, cultural and environmental initiatives including; Portal Dominicanaonline, ReCreate, Eco-Huertos and several film screenings, including GFDD-produced short films.

GFDD’s social networking coordinator, Reydi Moreta, led the interactive workshop  presentation, “Dominicanaonline.org Portal: All about the Dominican Republic one click away!” Mr. Moreta was able to show how GFDD’s signature program continues to be the most comprehensive, detailed and interactive portal about the Dominican Republic. It presents the DR’s history, geography, education, culture, environment, tourism, to virtual audiences including tourists, business professionals and investors. Users of the website are exposed to a wide array of materials, from written texts, audios, videos, photo galleries and directories, interactive maps, electronic postcards,  and a virtual library.

Also showcased was a talk by Cristiana Cruz Minier, coordinator of the EcoHuertos Program  “Encouraging the development of sustainable gardens in the Dominican Republic”.  Ms. Minier   demonstrated how the program supports the creation of organic and sustainable vegetable gardens in schools and communities throughout the DR and  divulged how the program encourages hands-on workshops in  the field of natural sciences contained in the country’s educational curriculum.

The Fair was also a chance to screen GFDD-supported  films, highlighting and raising awareness on important local environmental issues, as well as informing audiences of the different  and unique cultural aspects of the country. The three films presented were; “Salga el mal y entre el bien- Liborio Mateo, la historia”, which was followed by an interesting discussion by historian Dr. Sobieski De Leon, on Liborista culture; as well as GFDD-produced shorts; “The Growth of Lake Enriquillo: Environmental, Social and Scientific Implications”; and“Garbage or Resource? A Dominican Republic Experience“.

The universally acclaimed “Garbage or Resource” short was aptly followed by a practical workshops in art recycling, undertaken by ReCrearte Program Coordinator, Bertha Santana.  Ms. Santana conducted a demonstration to those gathered on how recycling waste into an art-form can empower individuals and communities alike. She emphasised how the program, an initiative of GFDD’s Dominican Republic Environment Film Festival (DREFF), seeks to engage Dominican communities into reformulating the way they think about trash, thereby promoting the three golden rules of proper waste management: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
This format of events, organized by the Foundation is proving to be a popular crowd-puller and allows for for active participation and discussion by its attendees.

Related links :
www.dominicanaonline.org
www.eco-huertos.org
www.r3crearte.org
www.garbage.dreff.org
www.funglode.org
www.cultura.gob.do
www.dreff.org
www.dominicanscreenings.org.
www.publications.globalfoundationdd.org