President Luis Abinader led the inauguration of the Dominican Stop in Rome, a dedicated activity to celebrate national culture and recognize the contributions of Dominicans living in Italy, along with the first lady, Raquel Arbaje.
During the event, the president expressed his satisfaction with sharing with the Dominican community in the Italian capital, where they reside about 6,000 compatriots. He also noted that Italy houses one of the main Dominican communities in Europe, after Spain.
Abinader highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit, the effort and the ability to overcome Dominicans living in Italy, qualities that he said contribute to projecting a positive image of the Dominican Republic abroad.
It also valued this type of meeting for its contribution to the preservation of traditions and national identity among those living outside the country.
The day included music, typical dances and costumes with the patriarchal colors, in a celebration of Dominican cultural expressions and the links between the community living in Italy and its country of origin.
Abinader keeps an invitation to Pope Leo XIV
The president also confirmed that the official invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit the Dominican Republic in 2027 remains in force.
The statement was made after the pontific reported, during the Sunday Mass of Angelus, that he will be subjected to a surgical intervention in the next few days to remove a pulmonary nodule detected at an initial stage.
Dominican Republic to be recognized for progress against hunger
In another order, Abinader highlighted the country's progress in food security and the fight against poverty, noting the importance of maintaining public policies to improve the living conditions of the population.
The president said that economic growth must be reflected in better social indicators and translated into concrete benefits for citizens.
The Dominican Republic is, he said, among the countries that have made significant progress in food security, along with Brazil, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Chile and Guyana.
The head of State further reported that the country will be recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for achieving the Zero Hunger target during the World Food Forum.
