FESD 2025 ignites a Caribbean literary renaissance in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo.- The Third Dominican Writing Festival (FESD) 2025 took center stage in Santo Domingo from March 8 to 9, captivating attendees with its dynamic celebration of Caribbean literature. Organized by CuentaRD, Luna Insomne Editores, and Río de Oro Editores, the event was held at the Atrio Central of the Acrópolis Center and brought together over 25 distinguished guests. Writers, reading promoters, bookstagrammers, audiovisual producers, critics, and film directors and producers from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Mexico enriched the festival with their diverse perspectives.

Throughout the two-day event, participants immersed themselves in a wide array of literary activities. The festival featured engaging panel discussions, colloquia, workshops, book presentations, and storytelling sessions that highlighted the richness of Dominican and Caribbean literature. Attendees enjoyed the opportunity to explore book sales booths, with stands set up by prominent publishing houses such as Río de Oro Editores, Últimos Monstruos Editores, Luna Insomne, and Isla Negra Editores.

FESD 2025 recognizes Juan Baez for his work in showcasing Dominican authors internationally for over 40 years. (Photo: FESD 2025)

A significant highlight of FESD 2025 was the tribute paid to three influential Dominican figures. The festival honored Arlene Sabaris for her international literary contributions and her role in amplifying women’s voices in literature, Odilius Vlak for pioneering speculative fiction and promoting the genre on a global stage, and Juan Báez for his long-standing efforts in showcasing Dominican authors internationally over more than four decades.

The festival program opened with the presentation of Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro’s new book, Afroalgoritmos, coordinated by Mamey Librería and moderated by Luis Reynaldo Pérez. An online workshop titled “Lectura y competencias para la vida: aprender a aprender, aprender a convivir, aprender a ser, aprender a hacer” followed, led by Ana Arenzana from Grupo Planeta and moderated by Ely Alcántara.

Saturday’s agenda featured a vibrant colloquium on the new adaptations of Latin American and Caribbean literature for international cinema, with contributions from Ariel Vargas, Juan José Namnún, and Ramón Alfonso Peña, and was moderated by Pavel González. Another session delved into the themes of horror and suspense in regional narratives, with insights from Isis Aquino, Francis Santos, and Markus Edjical, moderated by Eli Villamán. A thought-provoking dialogue on the influence of artificial intelligence on the reading experience also took place, involving Ariel Vargas and Ely Alcántara.

Children were not left out of the festivities, as a dedicated storytelling session, “Cuidado con las muecas” by Poteleche, enchanted young audiences. A panel discussion on the current state of Caribbean literary production featured notable voices such as Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro, Alejandro Aguilar, Jhak Valcourt, and Odilius Vlak, moderated by Luis Reynaldo Pérez. The day concluded with an intimate meeting with Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro, where her work and her enduring resistance as a literary voice in Latin America and the Caribbean were discussed. This session was moderated by Rafael J. Rodríguez Pérez, president of Río de Oro Editores, offering a unique perspective on her impact on contemporary literature.

On Sunday, the festival continued to captivate audiences with the presentation of Inti Huamán or Eva Again by Efraím Castillo, recipient of the 2025 National Literature Award. A forward-looking session explored new commercialization formats, focusing on videobooks and audiobooks, with Eddie Rojas from Viubux Internacional and moderated by Ariel Vargas. The day featured book raffles, literary contests, and concluded with a heartfelt storytelling session by Yuan Fuei Liao. A final dialogue on historical memory in contemporary Dominican literature, moderated by Luis Reynaldo Pérez and featuring Jesús Paniagua and Ángela Suazo, provided a reflective end to the festivities.

FESD 2025 recognizes Arlene Sabaris for her international writing career and her leadership in highlighting the voices of women’s literature in the Dominican Republic. (Photo: FESD 2025)

The event closed with a ceremonial act recognizing the literary production of the insular Caribbean—honoring contributions from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Mexico (this year’s guest country). Organizers called for unity and integration among these nations to further expand the influence of Caribbean literature.

FESD 2025 stands as a testament to the flourishing literary scene in the region. The festival not only strengthens the local and international community of writers but also promotes a culture of reading and reaffirms the writer’s role as a vital cultural agent for societal development.

The event received strong support from a range of sponsors, including Dominicana Libro & Culture Festival, Dominican Writers, La Alcaldía del Distrito Nacional, Autopanigua, LRP Servicios Editoriales, Río de Oro Editores S.R.L, Grupo Planeta, Isla Negra Editores, Hypermedia Editorial, Navegante Urbano Agencia Creativa, and LBStudiográfico, along with contributions from authors Maritza Florentino and Kelsy Wilmot, and allied brands Nuevas Tierras Ediciones and Grupo Acento.

CuentaRD, the cultural platform behind FESD, continues to drive the intellectual, cultural, and social growth of the Dominican community. Founded in 2018 by writers Roxanna Marte and Rafael J. Rodríguez Pérez, CuentaRD has conducted dozens of activities, graduated over 95 students, and provided editorial consultancy and services to countless writers. Its vision to enhance Dominican and Caribbean literature on the international stage remains at the heart of every initiative.

FESD 2025 has set a high bar for literary events in the region, affirming its status as a key event in promoting Caribbean literature and uniting writers and readers across borders.