On February 22, the first meeting to establish GNRC in the Caribbean country of the Dominican Republic took place in the capital, Santo Domingo. There were twenty-one participants at the meeting, representing fourteen active institutions in that country, where conditions have become favorable to create a Committee and implement GNRC’s programs. Mercedes Román, GNRC Coordinator for Latin America, along with Natanael Disla, representing the ecumenical bible college ISEBIT (Instituto Superior de Estudios Bíblico-Teológicos), convened this first meeting, with the following churches, faith-based communities and institutions that work for the well-being of children: Poveda Cultural Center, Dominican Episcopal Church’s Center for Theological Studies, Ecumenical School for Biblical Sciences, Bahá’í Faith, Santo Domingo Metropolitan Community Church; also, the National Forum of the Latin American Council of Churches, Boys and Girls with Don Bosco, Maternal-Infant Pastoral Services of the Dominican Episcopal Conference, Dominican Ecumenical Biblical Network, Dominican Republic Baptist Seminary, Church of God Biblical Seminary, Dominican Solidary Hands Society, and World Vision Dominican Republic.

After presenting GNRC as an organization, its origin, mission, and programs, the meeting came to the agreements to create a Steering Committee, and to implement a first Ethics Education training workshop. The GNRC proposal was received enthusiastically by the participating entities.

At the meeting, there were representatives of the Salesian institution Boys and Girls with Don Bosco, International Volunteers for Development (VID, Italy) and World Vision Dominican Republic, who had already participated in the World Day of Prayer and Action for Children. The Salesian institution has already begun training its workers in the use of the Learning to Live Together Manual.

The creation of this Committee lays the foundation to draw and develop different organizations’ interest in an interfaith dialogue to benefit children in that country, and to participate in the implementation of GNRC programs. This event is also a landmark in the advancement in the GNRC’s proposal in the Caribbean.

Written by Mercedes Román