Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | February 9–13, 2026
Best Buddies International recently completed a visit to Best Buddies Dominican Republic (BBDR) focused on strengthening partnerships, engaging leaders across sectors, and supporting the continued growth of inclusive opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).Throughout the week, meetings with corporate leaders, community partners, and the BBDR team highlighted the organization’s growing influence in the country and created meaningful opportunities to expand collaboration with both the private and public sectors.

Building Corporate Relationships
A key focus of the visit was meeting with business leaders and potential partners to explore ways the private sector can play a greater role in advancing inclusion in the Dominican Republic. These conversations centered on corporate engagement, social impact initiatives, and potential funding partnerships that could support the expansion of Best Buddies programs in the country.

Meetings during the week included:

• Vielka Polanco – Discussions focused on strengthening connections within the Dominican business and philanthropic community and identifying opportunities to expand awareness and support for Best Buddies’ mission.
• Humano Seguros – The team explored potential collaboration through corporate social responsibility initiatives, including employee volunteer opportunities and potential program support.
• Arajet – Leaders from the airline met with the team to learn more about Best Buddies programming and discuss possibilities for partnership, visibility, and engagement.
• Casa Brugal – Conversations centered on future collaboration opportunities and ways the company could support inclusion efforts through strategic partnership and sponsorship.

Each of these meetings represented an important step toward expanding the network of organizations committed to supporting individuals with IDD in the Dominican Republic.

Best Buddies Dominican Republic Congress
The visit concluded with the Best Buddies Dominican Republic Congress, a major event designed to convene leaders from government, business, and civil society to discuss inclusion and opportunities for individuals with IDD.

The Congress marked an important milestone for the organization in the country.

Event Highlights included:

• Record participation: The event exceeded expectations, welcoming 170 attendees—well above the initial goal of 100 participants—and reaching an overall impact of nearly 200 individuals.
• Strong cross-sector participation: The Congress successfully brought together representatives from government institutions, private companies, and advocacy organizations, creating an important platform for dialogue around disability inclusion.

The event reinforced the growing momentum around inclusion and positioned Best Buddies as a leading voice in advancing opportunities for individuals with IDD in the Dominican Republic.

Distinguished Speakers and Discussions
The Congress featured a diverse group of speakers representing public leadership, private industry, and the disability advocacy community.

Key participants included:

• Benny Metz, President of the National Council on Disability (CONADIS), who served as a keynote speaker and shared insights on national efforts to strengthen disability inclusion.
• Local government leaders, including city council members Rafael Gutiérrez, Jorge Feliz, and Gian Vega, participated in a panel discussion on the role of municipalities in creating more inclusive cities.
• National leadership voices, including Senator Omar Fernández and Ombudsman Pablo Ulloa, who addressed the importance of inclusive public policy and advocacy.
• Private sector representatives, including Aguie Lendor (ASONAHORES), Yudit García (JW Marriott), Laura Peña, Francesca Luna, and Gina Báez, shared perspectives on how businesses can contribute to inclusive economic and social development.

These discussions highlighted the importance of collaboration between sectors to advance inclusion across the country.

Ambassadors at the Center of the Event
A standout element of the Congress was the active participation of Best Buddies Ambassadors, young leaders with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Ambassadors played an essential role in the event, serving as:

• Co-hosts and presenters, including a young man with autism who helped guide portions of the program
• Event hosts and support staff, welcoming guests and assisting with logistics
  Interviewers, engaging directly with political and business leaders

Importantly, all participating youth were compensated for their work, reinforcing Best Buddies’ commitment to recognizing the professional contributions of individuals with IDD and supporting economic empowerment.

Advisory Board Reflection and Next Steps
Following the Congress, the BBDR team hosted an Advisory Board lunch to reflect on the event and discuss the next steps.

During the meeting, participants reviewed:

• Key successes from the Congress
• Areas for improvement in future events
• Opportunities to build on the momentum created by the gathering
• Strategies for strengthening partnerships with both the public and private sectors

This conversation provided valuable insight and will help guide BBDR’s planning as the organization continues to expand its impact.

Continuing the Momentum
The visit highlighted the strong leadership of the Best Buddies Dominican Republic team and the growing support for inclusion across the country. Through strategic partnerships, impactful convenings like the Congress, and the leadership of Best Buddies Ambassadors, the organization continues to elevate opportunities for individuals with IDD.

As conversations with corporate and community partners continue to develop, these relationships will play a critical role in expanding programs, increasing visibility, and strengthening inclusion efforts throughout the Dominican Republic.