The General Directorate of Fine Arts and the Dominican-American Cultural Institute renew an agreement to promote art and culture

The General Directorate of Fine Arts (DGBA) and the Dominican-American Cultural Institute (ICDA) have renewed their inter-institutional collaboration agreement with the purpose of continuing to strengthen the ties between both entities and promoting artistic, cultural, and educational development in the Dominican Republic.

The renewal ceremony was led by the General Director of Fine Arts, Marianela Enriqueta Sallent Abreu, and the Executive Director of the ICDA, Enrique Alberto Fernández Malla. Rosa Bobea, the Cultural Institution’s Finance Director, also participated.

Additionally, the event was attended by Kenia Rondón, head of the Legal Division; Elsa Liranzo, Coordinator of Interinstitutional and International Relations of the DGBA; and Sofía Otero, Cultural Director of the ICDA.

The renewal of this agreement will allow the continuation of joint initiatives aimed at fostering artistic training, promoting cultural exchange, and generating new opportunities for learning and development for the students of both institutions.

Through this alliance, the General Directorate of Fine Arts and the Dominican-American Cultural Institute reaffirm their commitment to strengthening education, promoting artistic expressions, and developing Dominican culture.

UNICDA holds a conference on the constitutional evolution of the United States

The Dominican American University (UNICDA) held the keynote lecture “Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Independence: The Constitution through the Decisions of the United States Supreme Court,” presented by Dr. Julio José Rojas-Báez, president of the Inter-American Juridical Committee of the Organization of American States (OAS).

The event took place in the Exhibition Hall of the Earl R. Threan Administrative Building, as part of the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence. The activity provided a space for reflection on the constitutional evolution of that country and the role of the Supreme Court’s decisions in interpreting the Constitution.

The welcome and opening remarks were given by Enrique A. Fernández Malla, rector of UNICDA. The lecture was aimed at students, faculty, professionals, and the public interested in U.S. history and institutions.

Rojas-Báez is a lawyer graduated from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and a former Fulbright scholar, with a master’s degree in International Legal Studies from American University Washington College of Law. He also has postgraduate training in State Administrative Law and Constitutional and Constitutional Justice Law, as well as extensive experience in teaching and legal practice.

The program included a question-and-answer session and an exchange with the speaker, aimed at broadening reflections on the topic.

With this activity, UNICDA continues to promote spaces for education and dialogue that contribute to critical thinking and knowledge of the history and institutions of the United States, in line with its binational character.

ICDA promotes reflection on mental health with the screening and discussion of «My 500 Crazies»

The event brought together medical, psychological, social, and cinematic perspectives to address the evolution of psychiatric care and the current challenges of mental health in the Dominican Republic.

Within the framework of World Mental Health Day, the Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano (ICDA) held on Saturday, October 10, the screening of the film “My 500 Crazies” and the discussion “From My 500 Crazies to Today’s Mental Health,” at the Patrick N. Hughson Auditorium. The activity was held to benefit the Padre Billini Mental Health Board.

The meeting provided a space for reflection on the evolution of psychiatric care, the stigma associated with mental disorders, and the importance of promoting more humane care focused on the dignity and rights of individuals.

Based on the historical reality presented in the film, the discussion connected different perspectives on mental health with the current challenges in the Dominican Republic. Psychosocial rehabilitation, recovery, and inclusion were among the topics addressed during the dialogue.

The panel included Dr. Yino Martínez, psychiatrist and psychotherapist, director of the Padre Billini Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center; and Dr. José Ángel Saviñón, psychiatrist and psychotherapist, professor, researcher, and author. Both contributed the medical perspective to the exchange on mental health care.

Also participating were Roselin de los Santos de Saviñón, M.A., clinical psychologist and Fulbright program alumna; and Rosario Bonarelli, president of the Mental Health Board, who contributed to the dialogue from psychological and social fields.

The cinematic perspective was represented by Ico Abreu, Dominican actor who plays “El Tuerto” in “My 500 Crazies” and Fulbright program alumnus. His participation linked the film experience with the themes that motivated the event.

The day brought together cinema and dialogue as means to bring the public closer to a reality that requires understanding, respect, and collective commitment. It also offered an opportunity to reflect on advances in mental health care and the challenges that remain to promote recovery and inclusion of people with mental disorders.

The Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano thanks the panelists and everyone who supported this solidarity initiative, whose purpose was to contribute to greater awareness of mental health and support the work of the Padre Billini Mental Health Board.

The Embassy of the United States, ICDA, and Ideice present progress to strengthen English teaching in the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. – The Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano (ICDA) and the United States Embassy in Santo Domingo held the meeting “Progress that Inspires: Training, Evidence, and Collaboration to Strengthen English Teaching,” within the framework of the Working Table for the Advancement of English in the Dominican Republic.

The event, held in the ICDA Exhibition Hall, brought together representatives from governmental and private institutions, educators, and allies to share advances in teacher training and certification, learn about the results of research on English teachers, and explore collaboration opportunities.

The meeting was led by Chelsia Hetrick, Public Affairs Counselor at the United States Embassy; Enrique Fernández Malla, Executive Director of ICDA and Rector of the Universidad Domínico Americano (UNICDA); Jesús Andújar Avilés, Executive Director of the Instituto Dominicano de Evaluación e Investigación de la Calidad Educativa (Ideice); and Ancell Scheker, Deputy Minister of Technical and Pedagogical Services of the Ministry of Education (Minerd).

In her welcome remarks, Hetrick highlighted that the initiatives presented are the result of joint work by various organizations and their commitment to strengthening the capacities of those who teach English. She also emphasized that the Working Table should continue to be a platform to identify needs, connect capabilities, and turn institutional exchanges into concrete actions.

“None of these initiatives belong to a single institution. They have been possible because different organizations have brought knowledge, resources, experience, relationships, and willingness to the table,” she said.

During the meeting, it was highlighted that the Teacher Development Center of the Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano and the Centro Cultural Domínico Americano in Santiago obtained licenses to offer the SIT TESOL Certificate Course, a professional certification program for teaching English designed and accredited by World Learning / SIT Graduate School, a higher education institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

These licenses strengthen the country’s capacity to offer teacher training and certification with international standards. As part of this progress, participants of the inaugural cohorts of the program, which includes approximately 180 hours of training, observation, teaching practice, feedback, and evaluation, were recognized.

Meanwhile, Ideice presented the study “Profile and Characteristics of English Teachers in the Public Pre-University Sector of the Dominican Republic and Interventions that Contribute to Their Training (2025),” conducted with the sponsorship of the United States Embassy, ICDA, and Minerd.

Andújar highlighted that this is the first official study aimed at understanding the profile and characteristics of English teachers in the public pre-university sector, and it constitutes a starting point to continue researching the teaching and learning process of this language in the country in collaboration with Universidad Domínico Americano (UNICDA).

He noted that the findings invite strengthening competency diagnostics, offering training that responds to the different needs of teachers, and supporting them in applying what they have learned.

In his closing remarks, Fernández Malla expressed ICDA’s willingness to contribute its technical teams and evaluation experience to the efforts that Minerd should lead, with an emphasis on capacity transfer and external validation of measurement instruments.

“English is not a curricular luxury. It is part of the human capital with which this country will compete, research, and communicate with the world,” he affirmed. “Behind every percentage in this report is a teacher in front of a classroom. Our task is to ensure they are not alone.”

During the meeting, the Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano donated books to Minerd for use in schools. The donation was received by Ancell Scheker, Deputy Minister of Technical and Pedagogical Services, on behalf of the Ministry.

The meeting highlighted the contribution of teacher training, research, and inter-institutional cooperation to strengthening English teaching in the Dominican Republic.

Art becomes memory and hope in the eighth edition of “The Last Supper”

A night marked by art, reflection, and hope was experienced on August 6th with the inauguration of the eighth edition of “The Last Supper,” an artistic-cultural proposal that brought together prominent artists in the ICDA Exhibition Hall.

The evening became a space to celebrate artistic creation and, at the same time, to generate reflection around universal values such as love, unity, and hope.

Through the various proposals presented, “The Last Supper” reaffirms its purpose of connecting art with memory and emotions, inviting the public to contemplate and find new meanings in each work.

The eighth edition featured the participation of distinguished artists, collaborators, and guests, who contributed to making this cultural experience possible.

With this new edition, “The Last Supper” continues to establish itself as a gathering where art transcends the visual to become a message of encounter, reflection, and hope.

A Summer Full of Art at the Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture Camp

The Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture Camp became this summer a space where creativity knew no limits. The young artists were able to experiment, discover new forms of expression, and above all, enjoy the process of creating.

Throughout the camp, the participants worked with different techniques and materials, testing their imagination to transform their ideas into drawings, paintings, and sculptures. Each piece was an opportunity to learn something new and express their own vision of the world.

Beyond the artistic creations, the camp left many moments of fun, companionship, and learning. The smiles and enthusiasm of the participants accompanied each day, turning the summer into an experience to remember.

With an artistic summer full of color and creativity, the camp says goodbye until next year, when brushes, pencils, and materials will once again become tools to imagine and create.

See you next summer to keep creating together!

Verano Cómics closes a summer full of creativity, adventures and friendship

During the camp, teenagers enjoyed a different kind of summer, sharing activities, discovering new skills, and building bonds of friendship. Every day was accompanied by enthusiasm, imagination, and many special moments.

Throughout the activities, participants developed their own stories, shaping characters and settings, and learning how to tell tales through panels. Each comic reflected the personality and imagination of its creators, resulting in very different and original works.

Verano Comics thus closes a season full of stories, adventures, and new friends, with the satisfaction of having turned the summer into a space to imagine, create, and tell stories.

See you next summer with many more stories to tell!

The Dominican American Cultural Institute honors Arthur E. Valdez after 34 years of leadership and dedication

The Dominican American Cultural Institute (ICDA) gave an emotional and significant recognition to Mr. Arthur E. Valdez, expressing deep gratitude for his 34 years of career, leadership, and uninterrupted commitment to the development of the institution.

Since joining the Board of Directors in 1992, Mr. Valdez became a key pillar for the growth and strengthening of the ICDA. Over more than three decades, his strategic vision, vast experience, and dedicated service vocation guided high-impact institutional decisions and initiatives.

During the tribute, representatives of the institute highlighted not only the valuable professional contribution of the honoree but also his constant human willingness to put his knowledge at the service of the educational and cultural community.

With this recognition, the ICDA reaffirms that the vision and dedication provided by Mr. Valdez will continue to be a living part of the entity’s history and the projects that continue to be built for the benefit of society.

Yes, Chef! World Cooks” Camp takes youth on an international culinary journey

The “Yes, Chef! World Cooks” camp hosted an educational and culinary experience during its morning and afternoon sessions, where young participants had the opportunity to explore different cultures through cooking.

During the camp sessions, the young chefs put on their chef hats to embark on a journey through various culinary destinations, discovering the flavors, ingredients, preparation techniques, and culinary traditions of Mexico, Italy, Spain, the United States, the Dominican Republic, and Asia.

Each class combined learning and fun, allowing participants to develop their culinary skills while uncovering the rich culture behind every cuisine.

In addition to learning new recipes and techniques, the youth strengthened values such as teamwork, creativity, discipline, and cultural exchange—turning each day into a hands-on learning opportunity.

“Yes, Chef! World Cooks” demonstrates that cooking can also be a fun way to learn, create, and experience other cultures.