The Santo Domingo International Book Fair was certified as a Country Brand of the Dominican Republic, becoming the first government event to receive this distinction from the Multisector Commission, the body in charge of coordinating and executing the country’s international positioning strategies.
The recognition was made by the members of the Multisectorial Commission of Marca País; the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, general coordinator; the businesswoman Ligia Bonetti, coordinator for the private sector, and the director of ProDominicana, Biviana Riveiro, secretary.
During her speech, Ligia Bonetti said that having the Marca País logo is to represent the best of all Dominicans. “To take that influence of who we are to the world and internally here in our country”.
He also assured that the International Book Fair is the first governmental event to receive this certification, for being a fair that brings together the main attributes of our country, and which are part of what it represents to have the Country Brand: it is inclusive and promotes education, in addition to allowing the family to attend together and share in joy and fellowship.
For his part, David Collado affirmed that the Ministry of Culture has been a master in the organization of this edition of the Book Fair. “How nice it is to be here in this activity that is surrounded by so many young people, adults, families, how nice it is to see so many Dominicans walking in a cultural fair like this.”
The official added that this edition of the great event, without a doubt, has put the Country Brand on high in the Dominican Republic and internationally. “The standards to which this Book Fair has reached should fill all Dominicans with pride”.
The certification was then handed over to the Minister of Culture, Milagros Germán, who was accompanied by Ángela Hernández, general director of Books and Reading, and Joan Ferrer, director of the Book Fair.
The certification comes at a transcendental moment, since this year marks the silver jubilee of the main literary event of the Dominican Republic, which on this occasion has as its theme “For everything there is a book”, and is dedicated to the writer Jeannette Miller, with Israel as the guest country.
Germán expressed that, with the high honor that this recognition means for the Ministry of Culture, the institution’s commitment to fulfill the objectives of the Dominican Republic Country Brand is reiterated: to promote the country as a symbol of constant growth and evolution, as a solid, stable and attractive destination for investment, and to consolidate it as a powerful tourist and cultural focus.
The XXV International Book Fair Santo Domingo 2023, which concludes this Monday, September 4, has been catalogued as the most outstanding to date, since this year all the pavilions have been air-conditioned and the museums of the Plaza de la Cultura have been used as host spaces for them, which has improved the experience of visitors and the comfort of the exhibitors.
What does Country Brand mean?
The concept of Country Brand is a communication and promotion tool that seeks to highlight the distinctive characteristics and values of a nation in order to attract investment, tourism, foreign trade and increase political and cultural influence in the international environment.
In this regard, in September 2020, the Multisectoral Commission was created by Decree 466-20, as the highest body of the Dominican State responsible for the Country Brand.
Source: Mitur.gob.do
