Until Thursday, October 30th, a new edition of Dominican Week in Spain (SEDE) is being held with a broad program of activities that will highlight the Dominican Republic’s potential as an investment destination, logistics hub, and creative hub in the region.
The initiative will bring together government authorities, business leaders, representatives of the cultural sector, and members of the Dominican diaspora in various venues in the Spanish capital for various cultural and business events that will take place throughout this week.
The opening ceremony will take place today, Monday, October 27th, at the Meliá Fénix Hotel, with the presence of Ambassador Tony Raful; the Minister of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs, Víctor “Ito” Bisonó; the Minister of Culture, Roberto Salcedo; and the Mayor of the National District, Carolina Mejía, among other dignitaries. The opening ceremony will pay tribute to the founders of Dominican Week and highlight the role of the Dominican community in Spain in strengthening bilateral ties.
That same day at 4:00 p.m., the agenda will continue with the International Markets Conference at the Santoña Palace, where business opportunities and the most attractive sectors for Spanish investment in the Dominican Republic will be discussed. Representatives from the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce and Production, and Minister Victor “Ito” Bisonó will participate, presenting the country’s vision as a strategic platform for North America.
Following this, today, Monday, at the Génova Financial Club, the meeting Soundness and Transparency of the Dominican Banking System will be held, with the participation of Alejandro Fernández, Superintendent of Banks, and representatives from the financial system and VISA Spain, who will discuss the stability and modernization of the sector. And finally, at Casa de América, at 7:30 p.m., the book presentation will include the publication Nuestros Primeros Pobladores (Our First Settlers), sponsored by the Taíno Cultural Center of Casa del Cordón and Banco Popular Dominicano. Written by a team of authors including Dominican historian Manuel García Arévalo, the book explores the origins of national identity and Taíno heritage. Rounding out the first day’s agenda will be a “Rhum Session” at the Mirador del Olivar.
The program will continue tomorrow, Tuesday, at 11:00 a.m. at Fundación MAPFRE, with the Dominican Republic Business Conference: A Reliable Ecosystem for Advanced Manufacturing and Global Services, which will bring together leaders from the industrial and logistics sectors. Participating in the event will be Víctor “Ito” Bisonó, Minister of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs; Bernardo Fuentes, Vice President of Economic Studies at Banco BHD; Eduardo Pérez de Lema, CEO of MAPFRE Internacional; Claudia Pellerano, president of ADOZONA and the Ibero-American Free Trade Zone Association, along with Erik Alma (Haina International Terminals), Francisco Lage (SYM Naval), and Víctor Palma (Edwards Lifesciences).
Within the framework of SEDE, the graduation ceremony for the Super Entrepreneurial Women of the Dominican Women’s Empowerment Network in Spain project will also be held at 4:00 p.m., along with the signing of a strategic alliance between the Supérate Social Development Directorate, the Institute of Dominicans Abroad (INDEX), and the Madrid Chamber of Commerce. The ceremony will take place at the Dominican Chamber of Commerce in Madrid.
On Wednesday, October 29th at 11:00 a.m., in collaboration with Llorca & Cuenca Madrid, the panel Transforming Talent into Opportunities: The Dominican Republic as a Creative Hub will take place at its offices (Calle Lagasca, 88, 3rd floor), organized in conjunction with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs. The event will analyze the country’s potential as a hub for innovation and development of creative industries, with the participation of Vilma Arbaje, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade; Marianna Vargas, director of DGCine; and representatives from sectors such as music and eSports. That same day, the mayor of the National District, Carolina Mejía, will lead the launch of A City That Breathes in the Claridge Room of the Wellington Hotel & Spa Madrid.
The week will close on October 30th at 11:00 a.m. at the Meliá Castilla Hotel, with the panel Connectivity: Ports and Airports as Catalysts for the Dominican Republic as a Logistics Hub. The event will feature Eduardo Sanz Lovatón, Director General of Customs; Francisco Alejandro Campos, of the Dominican Port Authority (APORDOM); Giovanni Rainieri, of Punta Cana Airport; and executives from Rannik and Balearia Shipping Companies, who will analyze advances in infrastructure and sustainable logistics.
Dominican Week in Spain is a platform that seeks to promote directly examine trade, investment, and cooperation in various areas, and will offer the Dominican diaspora in the European country a way to keep their roots alive, connect with their national identity, and share their cultural heritage with local communities. For general information about the SEDE, participation, and meeting registration, people can visit the Dominican Week in Spain platform, section “Bilateral Meetings.”