President Danilo Medina and Vice President Margarita Cedeno were at the National Theater last night, 24 April 2014, for the formal opening of the 17th International Book Fair that will continue through 5 May. The event is regarded as the prime cultural activity organized in the country every year.
This year the fair is dedicated to the Dominican poet Domingo Moreno Jimenez and Panama is the guest country. Deputy Director of the Panamanian Culture Institute, Raul Castro represented Panama at the event and emphasized the close relations between both countries. Videos on Panama were shown during the event.
Participating in the Book Fair this year are 181 publishing companies, 61 international exhibitors, representative from 19 countries and 70 foreign writers, the Presidency reports. Visitors can stroll through the exhibition grounds to see the thirty or so booths that show the cultural diversity of the Dominican Republic.
On the opening night, Minister of Culture Jose Antonio Rodriguez honored three recently deceased stars of Latino culture: Nobel Prize of Literature Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Puerto Rican salsa singer Cheo Feliciano and Dominican singer Sonia Silvestre.
In his opening remarks, the Minister highlighted the efforts of the Medina administration to eliminate illiteracy by 2015 and said that for many learning to read is like being re-born. One of the graduates of the literacy program, Georgina Vasquez told the audience: “Those who cannot read are blind. But now, I know how to read! Those that learn can make it in life and achieve what they want”. She announced that she would continue on her path to a more productive and fulfilling life as she has enrolled in a course to study to become a salonist.
The organizers of the Book Fair used the opening celebration to honor other individuals and institutions that have made important contributions to Latin American culture. Nicaraguan poet, Ernesto Cardenal, the Eduardo Leon Jimenes Foundation, the Dominican academies of Science and Language and arts promoter Veronica Sencion were honored during this special evening
Finally, the Minister of Culture Rodriguez announced the complete remodeling of the National Theater.
http://presidencia.gob.do/comunicados/inicia-fiesta-de-la-cultura-presidente-medina-inaugura-xvii-feria-del-libro
See the cultural program of the book fair at http://www.ferilibro.com/2k7/images/programa%202014%20pdf%20final.pdf