GFDD Publication “Lo Dominicano | All Things Dominican” Launches in Conjunction with 5th Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival

At the ceremony, winners for the Globo Verde Dominicano Award were announced.

“Lo Dominicano” (All Things Dominican), a new publication of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), was published this Friday September 11, as a part of the 5th Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF).

The book is designed to present the main aspects of what it means to
be Dominican as well as the natural resources and the culture of the country, from a modern and innovative point of view, in an easy to read manner, with emphasis on interesting and not widely-known facts.

Natasha Despotovic, the director of the DREFF, presented the book during a launch led by the President of Funglode (Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo) and the DREFF, Dr. Leonel Fernández.

Despotovic explained that this book aims to promote the
natural and cultural heritage of the Dominican Republic. She said that through its publication it aims to inspire, inform, entertain, and “to make us feel proud of our country, as promoters and protectors of All Things Dominican.”

The commentary on the publication was done by Delia Blanco, who stated that the book identifies Dominican nature in its form of being and by demonstrating the specific nature of each cultural detail.

She
said that there comes an important moment when it is necessary for new generations to have an instrument in which they can find themselves.

Blanco added “In an anthropological way, the book elevates popular and traditional aspects, and raises them to the level of noble subjects, because Dominican nature is above all a feeling.”

Presentation of
the Globo Verde Dominicano Award

During the evening, the winners of the Globo Verde Dominicano Award were announced. This year, there were four categories: Short films, PSA, Photography, and for the first time, the Globo Verde Junior. This new category is aimed at high school students, in which they can produce short films with any device available, be it a camera, telephone, or a tablet.

This year’s winners were Jonatán Vila Gómez,
in the category of Short Films with “7 Gramos”; Junior Cid, in the category of PSA with “Sostenible”; Timoteo Rafael Cedeño in the category of Photography with “En busca del líquido apreciado”; and Rafael Alberto Sanchez and Adonis Franciel Fortuna in the category of Globo Verde Junior with “Detrás de la silueta.”

The winners received their prizes from the hands of Dr. Leonel Fernandez,
Natasha Despotovic, and Alexandra Tabar, Multimedia Director of the GFDD, and the director of the Dominican Green Globe Prize.

At the end of the presentation, guests in attendance enjoyed the screening of the short film “Valor Vital”, the most recent production of GFDD/Funglode. It was produced by a team from GFDD under the direction of Natasha Despotovic, and revolves around the natural capital and sustainable development of the Dominican Republic.
What we saw on the screen represents a preliminary version of a feature-length film that the GFDD/Funglode is making, and which will premiere during the sixth Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival.

The guests ended the night with a toast in the Funglode lobby, during which they enjoyed gourmet Dominican food offered by Chef Tita.

About the Festival
Since its creation in 2011, the Dominican Environmental Film
Festival, an initiative of the GFDD and Funglode, provides the public with a platform for knowledge and discussion on the environment and sustainable development, its challenges and best practices, as well as a way to celebrate the beauty and unique diversity of the Dominican natural landscape.

With a varied selection of films and numerous panels, workshops, seminars and community activities, the festival promotes dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experiences,
inspiring the Dominican public to carry out actions that contribute to the appreciation, conservation and sustainable use of environmental resources.