Victorian Workshop Showcases Puerto Plata’s Tourist Offer in Santo Domingo

Victorian Workshop Showcases Puerto Plata’s Tourist Offer in Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, July 27 2015

Last Friday, July 24, the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR)’s Office of National Promotion, in coordination with the Tourism Cluster of the Puerto Plata Destination, and the project “Strengthening of the Tourism Competitiveness Tools” of the National Competitiveness Council, organized the Victorian Workshop “Puerto Plata in Santo Domingo.” Its objective was to showcase a sample of the tourist offer in this destination, located in the Northern Region of the country.

Renowned personalities of the Espaillat Province and officials of the Ministry of Culture, headed by Minister José Antonio Rodríguez, as well as Ana María Conde, Director General of Museums, and María Elena de Lara, formally opened the museum during a solemn ceremony that took place on Sunday, July 26. The museum will operate in the same house where the dictator fell.

The following personalities spoke during the event: the Senator for the Espaillat Province, José Rafael Vargas; the Mayor of the Moca municipality, Remberto Cruz; the Minister of Culture, José Antonio Rodríguez, and María Elena de Lara, Jacobito Lara’s granddaughter.

In his speech, the Minister of Culture expressed his gratitude to the De Lara Antuña family for donating the building where the museum will operate, “as an effective sign of their commitment to the enrichment of the cultural heritage of our Dominican nation.”

“This family maintained friendship and business ties with then President Ulysses Heureaux (Lilís), from whom it distanced itself as time went by, and it is here, precisely in this house, where the execution took place,” recalled Rodríguez.

Rodríguez also expressed his gratitude to the President of the Republic, Danilo Medina, “for offering his full support to this project and for betting on culture, through initiatives such as this one, which seek to keep alive the love for the homeland and the democratic values.” Senator Vargas, who also spoke at the ceremony, said that “the place has an extraordinary educational and cultural value and becomes part of the historical and patriotic route that makes Moca a must-visit center.”

Mayor Remberto Cruz thanked the Ministry of Culture’s support in carrying out this project, which, he said, has great historical and patriotic significance. In turn, María Elena de Lara thanked the Minister of Culture for all the efforts that were made so that the Museo 26 de Julio could be established, and expressed her pride in the action that her grandfather, Jacobo de Lara, carried out, which ended Heureaux Lebert’s dictatorship.

It was recalled that Heureaux Lebert ruled the country from 1882 to 1884, his first presidential term, returning to power in 1887 where he stayed until 1899, when he was killed by Ramón Cáceres and Jacobito de Lara.

The house is a replica of the original building. The museum and exhibition use skylights that were part of the exterior and interior doors of the old house. The Museo 26 de Julio will be managed by Ms. María Amadis, and, in accordance with the regulations of the National Museums Network, it will be open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The ceremony ended with the cutting of the inaugural ribbon by Minister Rodríguez, along with the guests, including representatives of the Jacobo de Lara family. Among the attendees were the deputy ministers of Culture Federico Henríquez Gratereaux and Juan Tomás García (Tommy); Mario Caceres and the director of the Alcazar de Colón Museum, Raysa Astacio, among other personalities.

The orchestra of the Escuela Libre de Villa Trina performed the National Anthem and several other musical pieces.

Ribbon-Cutting at the opening of the Victorian Workshop

Representatives of the organizing agencies pose together with special guests.

Ms. Milka Hernández, Director of MITUR’s National Promotion

Ms.Natacha Quiterio, Corporate Marketing Manager at CCN

Arq.Enrique del Monte

Ms.Jakaira Cid, Executive Director of the Tourism Cluster of the Puerto Plata Destination

The evening was inspired by the Victorian style