In a formal ceremony held on the campus of William Paterson University in New Jersey, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader was awarded the institution’s Presidential Medal, the highest honor the university bestows on distinguished public figures. First Lady of the Dominican Republic Raquel Arbaje accompanied President Abinader for the honorary event.
Dr. Richard J. Helldobler, president of William Paterson University, opened the ceremony by outlining the rationale for the recognition. He explained that the medal celebrates Abinader’s decisive leadership and unwavering dedication to serving Dominican communities both at home and across the globe, including thousands of Dominican people holding dual citizenship in the United States.
Helldobler went on to detail the breadth of progress the Abinader administration has delivered across multiple critical policy sectors. He called out specific advances, from strengthening institutional transparency and boosting national citizen security to advancing a national energy transition and expanding digital transformation across the country. The university president also highlighted progress in upgrading urban mobility infrastructure, expanding universal access to clean drinking water, modernizing the national electrical grid, and ramping up environmental protection initiatives. Beyond domestic policy, he noted the Dominican Republic has emerged as an increasingly attractive destination for foreign direct investment, expanded women’s equal access and participation in the national labor market, and achieved a robust, inclusive economic recovery in the years following the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Helldobler also emphasized the deep, long-standing ties between William Paterson University and the large Dominican community rooted in New Jersey, noting the institution has built sustained collaborative partnerships with a range of Dominican educational, cultural and governmental organizations and leaders over decades.
After accepting the medal, Abinader addressed the assembled audience, framing the honor not as a final recognition but as a renewed commitment to upholding the core governance principles that have defined his administration: efficiency, honesty, and full transparency in public office.
A central focus of Abinader’s remarks centered on strengthening democratic governance in the Dominican Republic. He identified the consolidation of democratic institutions as the defining legacy of his time in office, and stressed the critical importance of placing clear limits on presidential reelection to safeguard democratic stability.
Abinader explained that despite winning reelection in the 2024 general election and securing a governing majority in the national congress – a political alignment that could have allowed his administration to pursue constitutional changes to open the door for additional presidential terms beyond current limits – his administration instead backed reforms that make it harder to amend the constitution to extend executive term limits.
Reiterating his long-held stance, the president emphasized that peaceful, regular alternation of power is a non-negotiable foundation of any healthy democracy. He confirmed once again that he will step down from office and leave power peacefully when his current second term concludes in 2028, honoring the country’s constitutional term limits.
Abinader also used the occasion to highlight another upcoming milestone for the Dominican nation: the country is set to receive official United Nations Zero Hunger certification on October 12, an achievement he called a transformative win for the country’s development and commitment to ending food insecurity.
Closing his remarks, Abinader expressed profound pride in the vibrant Dominican community based in New Jersey and across the United States. He urged all Dominicans living abroad to carry forward the country’s positive reputation through their daily work and actions, serving as cultural and civic ambassadors for their home nation.