Santo Domingo.- The Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD) recently bestowed the AIRD Award for Journalism on the National Industry to Katheryn Luna, Lilian Tejeda, and Massiel de Jesús for their outstanding contributions to addressing issues of innovation, sustainability, and illicit trade in their respective works presented in the XV edition.

Julio Virgilio Brache, president of AIRD, emphasized the pivotal role of the media in advocating for what is best for all, aligning with the organization’s mission. “The press serves as a powerful voice for promoting proactive industrial policies and showcasing the Dominican Republic as one of the most attractive economies in the region,” Brache remarked.

He congratulated the winners and underscored the importance of industrial journalism as a bridge between society and businesses. Brache acknowledged the AIRD as a vital source of raw materials, transparently supplied to journalists to transform into relevant information for the public.

The winners of the awards were as follows:

• Katheryn Luna received recognition in the industrial economic journalism category for her work titled “Plastics, an industry that advances with a view to the circular economy,” published in Acento. Her piece effectively conveyed the significance of this topic for the country’s industrial transformation.
• In the Research category, Lilian Tejeda, a journalist from Forbes Dominican Magazine, was honored for her work “Companies that chart the path to decarbonization in the Dominican Republic,” published in August 2023. The Council praised the quality of her research, writing, and the linkage between industry and environmental stewardship.
• Massiel de Jesús, a journalist from El Dinero newspaper, emerged as the winner in the Journalistic Series category for her series focusing on counterfeit medicine trade and the potential of the Dominican pharmaceutical industry to export. Her series comprised installments titled: “False medications: a lethal enemy in the Dominican Republic,” “Awareness: the antidote against adulterated drugs,” and “DR pharmaceutical products conquer foreign markets.”

The AIRD Award, endowed with RD$500,000.00 in each category, honors the memory of Mr. George Arzeno Brugal, a distinguished Dominican industrialist known for his contribution to the country’s development.

The Prize Council for this edition included Odile Camilo, Rolando Guzmán, Elena Viyella, Fabio Herrera Roa, Carlos Despradel, Roberto Herrera, and José del Castillo Pichardo.