The Diplomat
The Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, Tony Raful Tejada, led the medal presentation ceremony held in late July for Dominican children and young people residing in Spain, in recognition of their outstanding academic excellence.
The awardees, aged between 12 and 18, were the winners of the 15th Annual Academic Merit Award 2025, an initiative that seeks to highlight the effort, dedication, and commitment of Dominican youth abroad.
The ceremony was held at the official residence of the Embassy, with the presence of Ambassador Consort Grey Soriano de Raful; Ambassador Anabel Bueno Santana-Dolenc, Permanent Representative to UN-Tourism; José Marte Piantini, Consul General of the Dominican Republic in Madrid; and Karla Tejeda, First Secretary and Head of the Academic Section -also the event coordinator- who also coordinates the event’s organization.
Also participating were representatives from the Institute of Dominicans Abroad (INDEX), Dania Morillo and Hilario Vargas, as well as jury members Daniel Tejada, Jeanette Alfau and Gricell Garrido. The ceremony was also attended by prominent figures from the educational field, as well as family members and teachers of the award-winning students.
The Academic Merit Award, organized by the Dominican Embassy in Spain in collaboration with important national institutions, aims to recognize and highlight the effort, dedication, and academic excellence of students. As a prize, they will receive a one-week cultural trip to the Dominican Republic, where they will meet with President Luis Abinader; First Lady Raquel Arbaje; the Governor of the Central Bank, Héctor Valdez Albizu, as well as major Dominican institutions, museums, and cultural centers.
This year’s winners are:
Academic Merit Award
No. Name Place of Residence
- Paola Yuliana Ramírez Volquez, Madrid
- Martina Tussent Granero, Gandía, Valencia
- Gael Then Hallal, Valencia
- Alexander Yersy Pérez Pérez, Madrid
- Yarisa García Pérez, Madrid
- Manuel Figuereo García, Madrid
- Wander Alcántara Ventura, Madrid
- Rafael de Jesús Arroyo, Angeles, Madrid
- Nicole Elidania Cataño Batí, Madrid
- Roberto Arco Acosta, Madrid
Special Distinction
No. Name Place of Residence
- Daniel Gallego, Encarnación, Madrid
- Adrid Joel Santana Medina, Madrid
Ambassador Raful delivered a message full of congratulations and encouragement to the recognized students, whom he encouraged to value their time and remain steadfast in their commitment to academic excellence. She emphasized that “education is the essential foundation for progress in the Dominican Republic and also in Spain.”
During the ceremony, Ashley Ventura, first-place winner of the 2024 Academic Merit Award, spoke about the valuable opportunity this experience represented in her life, describing it as a personal and academic turning point. Meanwhile, Paola Yuliana Ramírez Volquez, first-place winner of the 2025 edition, offered a moving message in which she encouraged those present to always cultivate knowledge and maintain a constant learning attitude, regardless of age.