Dominican Republic Boosts Literary Heritage at Madrid Institute

MADRID, Spain – Dominican Republic Culture Minister Roberto Ángel Salcedo recently contributed significant literary and historical documents to the “Caja de las Letras” (Box of Letters) at the Cervantes Institute in Madrid, Spain. The move expands the Caribbean nation's cultural legacy within the heart of the Spanish language.

Salcedo was joined by Dominican Ambassador to Spain Tony Raful, who emphasized the cultural act's importance as a symbol of strengthening ties between the Dominican Republic and Spain. The Dominican Embassy in Madrid played a crucial role in coordinating the event, which was marked by the institution's characteristic solemnity and historical gravitas.

During the ceremony, Salcedo highlighted that this act does not initiate a Dominican presence in the “Caja de las Letras,” but rather enriches and expands it. The newly deposited pieces complete the existing legacy of Pedro Henríquez Ureña, a towering figure in both Dominican and global intellectual circles.

“The Dominican Republic, heir to a humanistic tradition that finds its highest expression in the Henríquez Ureña family, recognizes this space at the Cervantes Institute as a natural home for its literary memory,” Salcedo stated.

The donated material, now part of the symbolic heritage of Box 1535, includes documents of high historical and literary value. Among them is the first edition of “La independencia efímera” by Max Henríquez Ureña, penned in London between 1937 and 1938. Also included is an original manuscript from poet, playwright, and independence hero Félix María del Monte, a member of the secret society La Trinitaria and a participant in the independence events of February 27, 1844.

These invaluable documents were donated by writer, gender researcher, and document collector Ylonka Nacidit-Perdomo. Nacidit-Perdomo is renowned for her work in reconstructing the history of Dominican female thought from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Nacidit-Perdomo explicitly stated that her contribution to the Cervantes Institute is a free, voluntary, and perpetual donation, made with the intent that the memories of Félix María del Monte, Salomé Ureña de Henríquez, Pedro Henríquez Ureña, and Abigaíl Mejía Solière remain forever linked in Spain.

She added that the legacy represents “the humanism and thought of two notable Dominican national heroes,” and aims to ensure the preservation of an essential part of the Dominican intellectual heritage.

In his closing remarks, Minister Salcedo underscored that “with this expansion of the Dominican deposit in the ‘Caja de las Letras,’ the Dominican Republic reaffirms its commitment to the preservation of thought and words as foundations of identity and dialogue between sister nations.”

He further noted that through the names of Félix María del Monte, Abigaíl Mejía, Pedro, and Max Henríquez Ureña, a tradition of erudition, civism, and love for language is perpetuated, honoring both the country and the broader Hispanic community.

This act solidifies the Dominican Republic’s presence in one of the Spanish language’s most emblematic spaces, reaffirming its dedication to dialogue and its commitment to the shared cultural memory between both nations.