Touraine: “The Dominican Republic Entered into an Era of Progress and Development Thanks to the President”

Touraine: “The Dominican Republic Entered into an Era of Progress and Development Thanks to the President”
French sociologist Alain Touraine said the Dominican Republic has entered into an era of progress, respectability and development thanks to the transformation brought about during the administration of President Leonel Fernández, emphasizing that the Dominican leader has restored respectability to the country. “Few of his predecessors were able to discuss ideas about the global situation and the path that people should take.”

“it is an honor to share clear ideas and modern concepts on the relationship between Social Sciences and the exercise of power with a personality like President Fernández.”

Touraine made these comments at a meeting of French academics from the School of Higher Learning and Social Sciences (École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales), according to a report from the President’s Office of Information, Press and Publicity.

He went on to say that “it is an honor to share clear ideas and modern concepts on the relationship between Social Sciences and the exercise of power with a personality like President Fernández.”

President of the School of Higher Learning and Social Sciences, Francois Weil, awarded President Fernández a medal in honor for his statesmanship and knowledge of sociology, philosophy and for being a promoter of peaceful exchange between people of the world.
Fernández, in appreciation of the distinction bestowed upon him, said that in a world where the market and finance dominates, the social sciences should be part of any approach to understand the processes of change the world and humanity are undergoing today.  
“A statesman must have an interdisciplinary approach that allows him to have a universal vision of the different aspects upon which society rests as well as a strategy to confront the huge challenges,” said President Fernández.

For the Dominican leader, the XXl century is a time of knowledge and ideas to help make sense and give orientation to all that is occurring and to create opportunities for development. “We have to create new citizens who have the social tools that allow them to make the correct decisions in a world where there are more and more challenges,” he said.

Fernández noted that the study of social sciences will create citizens who will be true actors in the world and who will take part in decision-making. He added that that they are the number one factor necessary for individuals to understand their role. “The social sciences should be connected to the functioning of the government…academics should serve as a bridge between the private sector in order to train and educate high quality human resources.”

Those present at the activity included Miche Wievorka, General Administrator of the School of Higher Learning and Social Sciences; Nicolás Catzaras, Secretary General; Dominique Fournier, researcher and Martine Ollion, Director of the Library, among others.

President Fernández had a busy schedule in this city which is part of a tour of Germany, France and the United States. On Thursday morning, he attended a session of the French Senate in the Luxemburg Palace where he was received by Jean Marc-Pastor, Vice President of the French Commission for the Caribbean who gave an historical explanation of the history of the Senate following the formation of the Republic.

The president of the Senate session, Bernard Frimat, welcomed the President and his delegation while stressing the role the Dominican Republic plays in the relations between the people of the Caribbean.

Upon leaving the senate session, Fernández held a dialogue with Senator Alain Delcamp, Secretary General of the Senate who explained how the details of the decentralization of the State.