Horizons Broadened during U.S. launch of the Diccionario Cultural Dominicano

On a bright evening in Union City, New Jersey, the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development along with Funglode, its sister organization in the Dominican Republic (GFDD/Funglode) convened a group of cultural enthusiasts and influential members of the Dominican community for a discussion to commemorate the U.S. launch of the Diccionario Cultural Dominicano.

The event began at 7:30 p.m. with opening remarks from Yamile Eusebio Paulino, Acting Co-Executive Director of GFDD. Eusebio welcomed those in attendance and took the opportunity to highlight the contributions of all who made the event possible, particularly the support received from Brian P. Stack, New Jersey state Senator and Mayor of Union City, New Jersey, in addition to the
director of the Colin Powell Elementary school, the institution where the event was held.

After the audience received a proper introduction to GFDD through Eusebio’s words and the organization’s institutional video, they were then treated to author Jimmy Sierra’s thoughts and insights on his recent publication, presented in the form of a 13-minute video.

Following the videos, Dr. Leonel Fernández, President of GFDD/Funglode
and writer of the prologue for the Diccionario, moderated a panel discussion involving Jimmy Sierra, author of the Diccionario Cultural Dominicano, and Carlos Peña, a collaborator for the Dictionary. The two recounted how the idea came about for the publication nearly 50 years ago between Villa Juana and New York.

The more than 900 people present during the occasion enjoyed interesting anecdotes about Dominican culture and also saw their own stories become the night’s main event, as the work that the Dominican diaspora has undertaken in New Jersey aimed at preserving the culture and identity of Dominicans living outside of their home country was put on display.

President
Fernández announced that the Dictionary will not only be released as a publication, but will also be transformed into an interactive webpage which will make its photos and videos available to interested parties. And to begin work on a second edition of the Diccionario, the Centro Cultural of New Jersey, headed by Amiris Pérez, President, and Máximo Corcino, Coordinator, will take responsibility.

In compiling the Diccionario
Cultural Dominicano, Sierra received assistance from a number of collaborators, such as Reynaldo Disla, Hector Martinez, and Leon Félix Batista.

With a total of 1,164 entries, the Diccionario Cultural Dominicano synthesizes key Dominican cultural figures, groups, institutions, and events, making them easily accessible to anyone interested in learning more about people and events that have shaped the trajectory of the Quisqueyanos. It is a
publication of Editorial Funglode and can be purchased by calling 809-685-9966, extension 2809.

About Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD):
The Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), sister organization of Funglode in the United States, is a non-partisan and non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of collaboration between organizations in the United States and the Dominican Republic in order to
conduct research, enhance public debate, design public policy, propose strategies and provide training to facilitate change in crucial areas of the social, economic and democratic development of the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean and Latin America.