Dominican and Haitian artisans receive training from Cuban asters

SantoDomingo.- Twenty artisans from Haiti and the DominicanRepublic have honed their design and craft skills following a 25-day trainingprogramme with two of Cuba’s most accomplished master artisans Maité Dumenigoand Yanel Rodriguez.

The workshop hostedby the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), in collaborationwith the National Handicraft Center of the Cominican Republic (CENEDARTE) andthe Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Artesanía (FUNDARTE), was held fromSeptember 7 to October 2, 2015 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Within theauspices of the Haiti-Dominican Republic Bi-NationalProgramme, funded by the European Union (EU) under the 10th EuropeanDevelopment Fund (EDF), the workshop was an opportunity for artisans toincrease their exposure to a variety of subject matters spanning from thehistory of metalwork (orfevrerie), to techniques for designing and transformingprecious metal into beautiful jewellery and accessories.

Throughlearning the use of new tools and techniques, participants were able to improvetheir capabilities and displayfresh creative flare forthe manipulation metals,as well as incorprating the semi-precious stones, amberand larimer, which are only found in the Dominican Republic. Ultimately, it is hoped that as a result ofthe workshop the Agencies have contributed towards the improvement in the capacityof local handicraft in generating new designs, with the aim ofincreasing theadded value for their products, while appealing to the tastes of a moresophisticated clientele often found in the targeted export markets of the EUand the United States.

In addition to the practical element, the trainingincluded field trips to the mining sites, where ambar and larimar are found.

Agraduation ceremony held on October 2, 2015 provided an opportunity forstudents to exhibit their designs. Opening remarks made by the EU Ambassador, the National AuthorisingOfficer and Escipión Oliviera, Deputy Executive Director of Caribbean Export,among others. The participants were congratulated on the quality of the work,and thanked the Cuban professors for their collaboration.

The accessoriesthat were created during the workshop will be exhibited in Dominicana Moda 2015in order to further promote these talented jewellery and accessory designers.