Leonel Fernández Presents the 2015 Funglode/GFDD Awards

Fernández led the ninth awards presentation alongside Marco Herrera, executive director of Funglode; José Rafael Lantigua, director of Funglode’s Center for Cultural Studies; and Catherine Florentino, director of the Funglode/GFDD Awards.

This Tuesday, March 15, the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode) and the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) presented the 2015 Funglode/GFDD Awards in the Story, Poetry,
Journalism, and Documentary categories.

Funglode president and former Dominican Republic head of state Leonel Fernández led the ninth awards ceremony alongside Marco Herrera, executive director of Funglode; José Rafael Lantigua, director of Funglode’s Center for Cultural Studies; and Catherine Florentino, director of the Funglode/GFDD awards.

The awards and announcements were presented by Fernández, Herrera, Lantigua, Florentino, and the
writer Tony Raful.

Lantigua offered the event’s opening address. He highlighted the consolidation of the Awards in this ninth edition and underlined the quality of this year’s competitors and judges.

Leo Silverio, first-place winner in the Story category, thanked Funglode/GFDD on behalf of all the winners.

Dancers from the Dominican Republic National School of Dance, directed by renowned ballerina Marinella
Sallent, gave a recital at the start of the event.

Members of the awards jury Rafael Molina Morillo, Basilio Belliard, and Félix Manuel Lora Robles were also present at the event.

The 2015 edition of the Funglode/GFDD Awards received a total of 180
entries: 117 in the Story category, of which 15 were from New York, USA; 10 documentaries; 30 poems, among them 7 from New York and one from Spain; and 23 pieces of journalism.

The first- through third-place winners in each categories received cash prizes ranging from RD$30,000.00 to RD$100,000.00.

Winners:
Pedro Mir Poetry Award
Single prize: “Santuario.” Author: José
Frank Rosario, under the pen name Conde Rocamadour.

Juan Bosch Story Award
First place: “El síndrome Heinz.” Author: Leo Silverio, under the pen name El gatopardo del Caribe.
Second place: “Ni centurión ni pretoriano”. Author: Estanislao Peña, under the pen name CCA.
Third place: “Dead man doesn’t speak.” Author: Víctor de Frías, under the pen name
Mauricio Babilonia.

Honorable Mentions
“Un mundo gris”, by Yaina Melissa Rodríguez Ramírez, under the pen name Arcoiris.
“Librisfuss”, by Aracelis Mireles, under the pen name Magdala.
“Crónica de un día cualquiera”, by Katiusca Vargas, under the pen name Medea.
“La Señora Lake”, by Elizabeth Amelia Villamán Herrera, under the
pen name Yamelie.
“Típica historia de fea rica que se casa con un bello pobre”, by Yaina Melissa Rodríguez Ramírez, under the pen name Betty la fea.
“¿Qué no es fútil en la vida?”, by Keiselim A. Montás, under the pen name Sísifo.

Rafael Herrera Journalism Award
First place: Migration Policy series, by Natali Faxas Guzmán, published in the newspaper El
Caribe.
Second place: “Cambios en la lectura” series, by Daniela Pujols Minyetty, published in Listín Diario.
Third place: “Con el sudor de su frente” series, by Jhenery Ramírez Sosa, published in Listín Diario.

Honorable Mentions
Electricity Sector series, by Senabri Hircania Silvestre Castro, published in the newspaper
El Día.
The Face of Social Security series, by Kirsis Díaz, published in the newspaper Diario Libre.
School of Fine Arts series, by Solangel Ortega and Elizabeth Martínez, published in Listín Diario.

Max Pou Documentary Award
Sole prize: “Gente como tú,” by Celestino González, under the pseudonym Tino.

Jury
Members
In the 2015 edition of the Funglode/GFDD Awards the jury members in each category were:
Pedro Mir Poetry Award: Tony Raful, Fernando Cabrera, and Basilio Belliard.
Juan Bosch Story Award: Marcio Veloz Maggiolo, Ligia Minaya, and Armando Almánzar Rodríguez.
Rafael Herrera Journalism Award: Rafael Molina Morillo, Mario Rivadulla, and José Báez Guerrero.
Max Pou Documentary Award: René Fortunato, Félix Manuel Lora
Robles, and Martha Checo.