This year the Dominican Republic celebrates the bicentennial of the birth of Founding Father Juan Pablo Duarte. Juan Pablo Duarte y Diez was born on 26 January 1813, and he died on 15 July 1876, at 63 years of age in Venezuela. Since last year a commission has organized commemorative activities.
Duarte’s merit, as a patriot and as a political organizer, was his successful efforts to create the Dominican nationality at a time of Haitian domination.