Franklin Center

Recent Public Affairs Programs 2007

Jazz Pianist Jeff Gardner Attracts Fans in Four Cities

Centro Franklin invited jazz pianist Jeff Gardner to perform in four Dominican cities and conduct two master classes, April 16-20. Based in Brazil, the American musician gave five performances of his own compositions in a private club, at the capital’s bi-national center for an invited audience hosted by the USAID director, at the country’s second largest theater, and for student audiences at two national university campuses. The performances, scheduled during Jazz Appreciation Month, were enjoyed by government, military and diplomatic dignitaries, as well as professional and amateur musicians and fans of all ages. Gardner invited Dominican drummer Juamy Fernandez to sit in on part of his sets, adding a distinct Latin flavor to his rhythms and delighting local audiences.

New Horizon School

IRC for Youth in Schools

The IRC continues its outreach program to local schools, presenting important information resources offered in its IRC Joven portal for middle and high schools.  The IRC visited recently the New Horizon, American School and the Educational Center in Punta Cana (in the East), presenting its resources to school directors, coordinators and teachers.                                                     

     American School

OPIC Features Conference to Expand Investment and Trade in CAFTA-DR Region

Public Affair Santo Domingo organized a press meeting 3/27/2007 with Dr. Lawrence Spinelli, Director of Public Affairs of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), and four Dominican journalists from Hoy, Diario Libre Clave Digital and Listín Diario.

During the meeting, Dr. Spinelli promoted an upcoming international conference, “Access to Opportunity in Central America and the Caribbean,” to be held in San Salvador in May. He also spoke about OPIC’s efforts to generate interest among U.S. investors in enterprises throughout the CAFTA-DR region.

Articles published since the interview have encouraged Dominican business leaders to attend the conference, where they can meet prospective investors and discuss ways to expand trade as a result of the new trade agreement.

Embassy Speakers Bureau Inaugurated with DR-CAFTA Panels

A Speakers Bureau of US Embassy staff members, organized by Centro Franklin, was inaugurated with two programs on DR-CAFTA at local universities, March 28 and 29. The earlier event, consisting of several academics from the UNICARIBE and the Director of the embassy’s Foreign Commercial Service, was attended by more than 100 faculty and students of the MBA program. The second event, with two academics and two of the embassy’s Political/Economics officers and an economist from the USAID, was organized by the Fulbright Alumni Association at UNIBE for an audience of 50. Q&A with audience members was lively about the trade agreement, which went into effect March 1, 2007. Centro Franklin is inviting requests from fraternal organizations, government offices and NGOs for speakers on a wide range of topics for this important new outreach effort. To request a speaker, contact Viola Suarez, 809-566-3131.

Dominican Baseball Workshop Draws Hundreds of Coaches

Centro Franklin provided the services of retired Dominican-American major league pitcher Elias Sosa (Dodgers, Giants) to the Dominican Baseball Federation for a week-long workshop for 250 high school and Little League coaches, Mar. 20-24. Sosa worked on pitching form while other local coaches attended to catching, hitting and running. He also answered innumerable questions about his personal experience in the majors. The event, held in La Vega, culminated in a student clinic for some 500 young boys and teenagers, putting into practice the skills the coaches learned during the workshop. The event attracted extensive national print and electronic media, including for the lone female coach, who was given a standing ovation by her colleagues. Centro Franklin hopes to continue its collaboration with the Federation on future workshops.

Higher Education Ministry’s ESL Students Learn about Virtual Library

Twenty ESL students, part of the English Immersion program sponsored by the Ministry of Higher Education at UASD university, attended an IRC Virtual Library presentation at the Franklin Center.  The IRC showcased its English and American studies resources available in the Virtual Library. 03/22

Information Resource Center at schools with IRC Joven

Beginning a series of workshops, the IRC visited Colegio Mi Dulce Hogar to present 31 schools teachers, during their monthly meeting, the resources available to teachers and students inside the IRC Joven, of the virtual library.

Ambassador Brings Attention to Military Medical Exercise in Dominican Republic

Public Affairs Santo Domingo cooperated with the Embassy Military Assistance and Advisory Group to bring press attention to a 10-day medrete exercise in the northeastern Dominican region of Samaná. Ambassador Hertell visited the medrete exercise with three journalists and the provincial governor to witness long lines of patients awaiting care, simple surgical procedures, and dental and optical care being offered in poor neighborhoods throughout the region by medical personnel from U.S. Army South, the Puerto Rican National Guard and Dominican units. Over 6000 residents received care from the joint exercise.

Dominican-American U.S. Army Pilot Honored in Her Native Land

Public Affairs Santo Domingo arranged for Dominican-American U.S. Army pilot Marisol Chalas to participate in several events honoring women during the week of March 5. Chalas attended the opening ceremony of a photo exhibit, “The 100 Most Distinguished Dominican Women” that recognized women from all walks of life. Captain Chalas was chosen because of her distinguished career as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot – including 10 months in Iraq – and her service in the Dominican Republic last year when she flew Black Hawk helicopters during the New Horizons exercise. Chalas’ photograph has appeared in ads associated with the “Most Influential Women” exhibit.

“Las Brujas de Salem” Highlights Theater Festival

Santo Domingo’s Teatro Clasico has mounted the Spanish language version of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” with the assistance of a grant from Centro Franklin. Presented in the National Theater, “Las Brujas de Salem” is the centerpiece of the Mes de Teatro Dominicano. The story, about a literal witch hunt that took place in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, demonstrates how judicial processes can be compromised by interference from political and religious leaders. Critical reaction has been positive and press coverage has been significant. Producers hope to continue the show during the city’s April book fair, the preeminent cultural event in the country.

Americans Shine at Music Festival

A grant by Centro Franklin to the Fundacion Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional contributed to the participation by 16 musicians from the US in six performances at the National Theater, March 7-17. Opening night featured a Beethoven piano concerto performed by Andre Watts. The biennial festival included opportunities for the American musicians to conduct workshops with music students at the local conservatory. The festival received copious print and electronic press, giving prominence to the grant, which continues the Embassy’s efforts to maintain and augment US cultural presence in the Dominican Republic.

Culture Ministry Official Promotes Cultural Tourism

Ministry of Culture Sub-secretary for Cultural Patrimony, Lourdes Camilo, wrote an article published in the March 8 issue of daily El Caribe that described in detail how best practices for cultural tourism, as espoused during his recent visit to the Dominican Republic by Keith Stokes, could be applied to the Dominican context. The article itemized successful collaboration between government and private parties in expanding attractions for tourists in Newport, Rhode Island, where Mr. Stokes is president of the Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Camilo drafted the article, which included photos of historic structures in Puerto Plata, following her discussions with him.

IRC Shares Resources with Industry & Commerce Staff 

In a two hour workshop the IRC developed a dynamic session with 18 staff members from the Ministry of Industry and Trade with online demonstrations of the Virtual Library resources and databases and an active discussion/sharing of experiences with research. 03/02

IRC Meets with Community Leaders

The IRC had the opportunity to present to more than 25 community leaders the electronic resources available through the Virtual Library, during a conflict resolution class at Instituto Tecnologico Santo Domingo (INTEC).  Most attendees showed surprise that all the resources contained in the virtual library are available for free. 02/24

Promoting Reading in Youth

President of the Dominican Republic Learns about Virtual Library

Santo Domingo Information Resource Center briefed President Fernandez, the First Lady, and the leadership of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (Funglode) about its virtual library.

The briefing was arranged at the request of President Fernandez who had heard much about the virtual library, and to establish closer links between his foundation and the embassy.

Cultures of Rhythm Close Latin America Tour With Five Dominican Performances

Dominican Jazz fans flocked to five performances in four cities, Feb. 2-8, including La UASD campuses in Santiago and Puerto Plata, in San Pedro de Macoris, as well as the capital. Events included an invitation performance hosted by the embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Roland W. Bullen, and two workshops where local musicians jammed with the American quartet. A performance in the Cinemateca Dominicana drew more than 900 cheering fans who sat in the aisles and stood in the back of the 730 seat house. The Puerto Plata performance was the first musical event to be held in the new campus auditorium. Trumpeter Kevin Lewis was so impressed by local musicians that he said he would actively pursue a Fulbright to teach at the Santo Domingo Conservatory of Music next year.

Professional Speakers Address Curatorship and Public Legal Services

Centro Franklin invited visiting husband and wife Jonathan and Judith Stein of Philadelphia to carry out workshops with Dominican interlocutors. On Feb. 2, Ms. Stein, a curator of contemporary art, was overwhelmed when her expected 15-20 participants at the Museum of Modern Art swelled to over 100 curators, artists and even writers, eager to better understand the museum and gallery systems in the US. Mr. Stein met with representatives of a leading judicial NGO, FINJUS, about the state of public legal services in the US on Feb.6. At present the DR has no government-supported legal assistance for the poor. Participants were eager to discuss law school education reforms and clinics for legal aid, pro bono contributions by private lawyers, and how ombudsman laws work – the DR’s law has yet to be implemented.

Museum Consultant Attracts New Funding for Natural History Museum

American Museum consultant Linda Sweet of Management Consultants for the Arts, located in Cos Cob, Connecticut, conducted a four-day workshop with staff of the National Museum of Natural History, which has been closed to the public since 2003. The purpose of the speaker project was to establish a strategic plan to reopen and develop the museum’s programmatic and fundraising potential. A meeting with the Minister of the Environment, who oversees the museum, resulted in a surprise grant of RD$500,000 to ensure that the museum reopens in April in conjunction with the annual Santo Domingo book fair. Ms. Sweet also held a one-day workshop at the Museo de las Casas Reales for 35 staff from a variety of museums on issues of board governance, membership and volunteer programs.

PAS Helps USAID Celebrate 45th Anniversary in the Dominican Republic

In January and early February, Public Affairs Santo Domingo worked with USAID to attract broad, varied press attention to USAID’s contribution to development in this country during the past 45 years. Between January 9 and February 7 Dominican newspapers published 20 articles about the USAID anniversary, and it was covered at least 7 times on 6 different TV news programs. The media blitz culminated in coverage of a celebratory reception hosted by Ambassador Hertell and attended by President Fernandez on February 1. The reception led television news programs and landed on the front page in two newspapers, as had a similar tree-planting event in Santiago two weeks earlier.

USAID Regional Director Featured in Dominican Press

Exclusive interviews with visiting USAID Latin America Director, Adolfo Franco, were featured by three news organizations during his visit February 1. Hoy featured the Franco interview as the only story on the front page of the Sunday economic supplement February 4 and devoted two full inside pages to other articles about the history of and future plans for USAID’s work in this country. Franco also was interviewed on channel 2 Uno-mas-Uno and by channel 27 RNN.

Ambassador Hertells Hosts Third Recital in the Residence

The third in a series of music performances in the Residence was held Jan. 22, hosted by Amb. and Mrs. Hans H. Hertell. The performer was young Dominican soprano Antonia Maria Chabebe, accompanied by pianist Maria Morel. An invited audience of 100, including diplomats, high-ranking government officials and politicians, the governor of Cibao province, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Papal Nuncio, as well as cultural leaders, attended. The event, consisting of European, Broadway and Dominican selections, received extensive press coverage. It was followed by a garden reception.

More PA Activities 2006

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