The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyu, thanked President Luis Abinader for his support in the fight against hunger and gave him recognition for taking the Dominican Republic off the Hunger Map during the closing ceremony of the World Food Forum 2026, held this Friday in Rome, Italy.
During the activity, Qu Dongyu highlighted the Dominican president’s leadership and his government’s support for initiatives aimed at advancing food security, combating hunger, and improving the population’s access to food through agricultural and social policies.
The First Lady, Raquel Arbaje, accompanied President Abinader on this international day, which recognized the Dominican Republic’s efforts in food security and nutrition, as well as government initiatives to strengthen national production and support agricultural producers.
Máximo Torero highlights Juan Luis Guerra’s message
FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero referred to the song Ojalá que llueva café by Dominican singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra, a composition that evokes rural communities’ aspirations and desire for better living conditions.
The iconic song served as a cultural touchstone and a reminder of the challenges of global food, representing farmers’ yearning for prosperity and abundance in food production.
Torero stressed the importance of promoting solutions that transform agri-food systems, improve producers’ conditions, and address challenges such as climate change, water availability, and agricultural sustainability.
Juan Luis Guerra and the message of hope in his music
For his part, Juan Luis Guerra shared the meaning of Ojalá que llueva café, one of the most recognized compositions of his artistic career, whose message has transcended Dominican borders for its representation of the aspirations of the peasantry.
The artist’s participation linked Dominican music to the forum’s objectives and recalled culture’s role in transmitting messages of hope and raising awareness of the importance of ensuring sufficient, nutritious food for the entire population.
The song expresses Dominican identity and evokes the countryside’s prosperity, connecting farmers’ aspirations with international efforts to fight hunger and improve nutrition.
Maridalia Hernández closes the day with “Ojalá que llueva café” — “I hope it rains coffee”
The activity concluded with the participation of renowned Dominican singer Maridalia Hernández, who performed the emblematic song Ojalá que llueva café by Juan Luis Guerra, adding a musical finish to the meeting held in the Italian capital.
The presentation celebrated Dominican artistic talent and linked music to the forum’s core message: moving towards sustainable agri-food systems and ensuring access to food for all.
With her interpretation, Maridalia Hernández provided a cultural component at the end of the day, in which food security, agricultural production and the hope of rural communities occupied a central place.
A global forum for food security
The World Food Forum 2026 brought together representatives of governments, international organizations, specialists, young people, and other actors committed to transforming agrifood systems and finding solutions to eradicate hunger in Rome.
President Luis Abinader’s participation reaffirmed the Dominican Republic’s presence in international spaces for dialogue on food security and sustainable development, as well as the country’s efforts to improve nutrition and strengthen national production.
The closing day combined recognition of the Dominican president’s support for the fight against hunger with the participation of national music figures, linking public policy, agriculture, and culture around the objective of guaranteeing adequate food for all.