'Embassy Night' series resumes as Club members attend Dominican Republic reception

More than 20 National Press Club members attended a reception hosted by the Dominican Republic's Ambassador to the United States, Sonia Guzman, as the Club's International Correspondents Committee resumed its “Embassy Nights” series Nov. 30.

The evening gave National Press Club members an opportunity to make valuable contacts with embassy staff and learn more about U.S.-Dominican relations. 

In welcoming Club members, Guzman, her country's first female ambassador to the United States, highlighted the relationship between the U.S. and the D.R., which is currently positioned as the United States’ sixth largest trading partner in the Western Hemisphere.  Trade between the countries represented $17 billion in 2021. 

The United States is home to some 2.2 million people who are Dominican or of Dominican origin, a group that Guzman described as “a very active and hard-working community.” 

In June, the Dominican Republic joined Panama and Costa Rica in the Alliance for Development in Democracy, through which Guzman said her country is “working to build a stable region” based on a shared commitment to the rule of law, democracy and human rights.

In addition to Dominican food prepared by chef Betty Duverge, Andra Johnson from local restaurant Serenta DC served Club members an award-winning cocktail featuring Dominican-crafted passion fruit liqueur mixed with world-famous Brugal Rum.

The International Correspondents Committee launched its “Embassy Night” series in June with the Algerian Ambassador to the United States, Ahmed Boutache. In July, the committee hosted its annual press attaché mixer for journalists and the Washington diplomatic community.