ROME, Italy — Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, accompanied by First Lady Raquel Arbaje, kicked off one of the capital’s most vibrant cultural celebrations this Sunday, officially inaugurating the long-awaited Dominican Parade in central Rome. The event brought together hundreds of community members and onlookers to honor the rich cultural heritage of the Dominican Republic and shine a spotlight on the critical contributions of the country’s large diaspora community across Italy.
In his opening remarks to the crowd, Abinader centered his address on the nearly 6,000 Dominican residents who call Rome home, commending their well-documented entrepreneurial drive, consistent work ethic, and remarkable resilience in building new lives while retaining their national roots. He emphasized that public cultural events like the annual parade do more than showcase Dominican traditions; they play a key role in preserving intergenerational cultural practices, reinforcing shared national identity, and tightening the social and economic bonds connecting Dominicans living abroad to their home country.
This year’s parade celebration was filled with immersive displays of Dominican culture, featuring live performances of iconic local music, energetic traditional folk dances, and a widespread display of clothing emblazoned with the Dominican Republic’s distinctive national colors, turning the streets of Rome into a vivid tribute to Caribbean culture.
Beyond the cultural celebration, Abinader used his visit to Rome to announce a key diplomatic announcement: he plans to formally extend an invitation to Pope Leo XIV to travel to the Dominican Republic for an official visit in 2027, during a scheduled private audience at the Vatican. The president noted that the pontiff already has a personal connection to the Caribbean nation, having previously visited the country when he served as a priest, and he expressed hope that Pope Leo XIV will accept the invitation to return in his current role as head of the Catholic Church.
Abinader also confirmed that he will present a personal gift to the Pope during their upcoming meeting, though he declined to share any details about what the gift will be ahead of the audience. When asked about the recent announcement that Pope Leo XIV will undergo surgery to remove an early-stage lung nodule, Abinader made clear that the invitation remains fully open, with no plans to rescind or delay it regardless of the pontiff’s upcoming medical procedure. “We want to reiterate that invitation, to see if he will visit the Dominican Republic again, now as Pope, because he had visited it as a priest,” Abinader told reporters, reaffirming the country’s warm welcome for the pontiff.