Fifteenth Eco-Tourism and Production Fair Coming Up

Fifteenth Eco-Tourism and Production Fair Coming Up
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic  12/3/2011

The Science and Art Foundation, with support from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the Town Hall of Hondo Valle, announced the start of the Fifteenth Eco-Tourism and Production Fair that will run from December 3-18 in the Municipality of Hondo Valle, province of Elías Piña.

This year, the Fair will be attended by several international guests of honor from the Savanette Haitian community and the Mexican Indigenous Tianguis organization.

This year, the Fair will be attended by several international guests of honor from the Savanette Haitian community and the Mexican Indigenous Tianguis organization.

Dr. Jacqueline Boin, from the Science and Art Foundation and Amarilis Polonia, deputy minister of Environmental Information and Education, announced this year’s activity. They reiterated the commitment to promote the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.        

The objective of the Fifteenth Eco-Tourism and Production Fair is to motivate municipalities in the provinces of Elías Piña, San Juan and, in particular, Hondo Valle, to formulate and apply master plans for the comprehensive development of their communities which involve their wealth of natural and human resources and potential to transform their lives and overcome limitations.

Another objective is to make the population aware of the importance of protecting the environment and using natural resources rationally, in the service of production and preservation of biodiversity as well as promoting eco-tourism as an option of lasting, economic, social, cultural and fraternal development among all peoples of the world.

Another goal of the Fair is to establish supportive links and productive joint projects with the cities and communities of neighboring Haiti.

Those attending the Fair will have the opportunity to take excursions from the fairgrounds to various places that boast attractive natural and cultural wealth, vibrant production, landscape and biodiversity, such as the Haitian community of Savanette. This will enable visitors to become familiar with the beauty of this island and the Caribbean.

The Science and Art Foundation, the Ministry of Environment, the Town Hall of Hondo Valle and local governments of San Juan de la Maguana, Elías Piña and the community of Savanette are all committed to the preservation of the environment and natural resources. The Eco-Tourism and Production Fair is a tribute to nature in view of human development and to the solidarity among the people of the island, as expressed by Serulle Ramia.

Hondo Valle is a border area between the Dominican Republic and Savanette, located in the Department of the Center of Haiti. This town is surrounded by mountains of primary forest, the location of the Sierra de Neiba National Park, a sanctuary for diverse endemic plant, tree and bird species.

Hondo Valle also boasts fertile coffee, avocado, tuber and citrus production. It is one of the main sources of water for the Dominican Republic. It maintains a cool climate year-round thanks to its altitude of 900 meters above sea level. The population is very hard-working and gifted with the cultural and dietary traditions that enrich their health and identity.

In this geographical context, living a natural existence with social and cultural production, Hondo Valle brings together all the conditions necessary to make it a agro-eco-tourism spot and a place that should be on the world tourism map.