Members of SCDF and Dominican Roots Foundation.
PHILIPSBURG--Dominican Roots Foundation has been awarded the contract rights to organize and host “Noche Latina” (Latin Night) for Carnival 2022. The selection was based on a public call for expressions of interest in hosting Latin Night.
St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) announced on Wednesday that after a thorough evaluation of requests, it believes Dominican Roots Foundation will devote the necessary time, energy, Aand excitement into hosting the event.
After considering whether or not to host the event in 2022, SCDF decided it simply could not let the popular event off the Carnival schedule. It then issued a public call for expressions of interest in hosting Latin Night a few months ago and was pleased with the number of responses received.
“First, we would like to thank all the persons and entities that expressed interest in hosting Latin Night. We were very happy to see that the show remains popular and not just among the Latin community,” President of SCDF Alston Lourens said.
“The Latin community is part of us, part of St. Maarten, and Latin Night is an important signature event of Carnival,” Lourens stated. “We were very despondent when circumstances prevented us from including it on the 2021 schedule, although Carnival was eventually cancelled. This gave us time to increase our efforts to protect the event.”
He explained: “The members of Dominican Roots Foundation impressed us with its proposal, its willingness, high energy and dedication to getting more of the entire Latin community, from different nations, involved in the event. We believe Latin Night will be in good hands.”
President of Dominican Roots Foundation Milagros de Windt said the foundation is ready and up to the task. “Last year, our community was very sad when the Carnival calendar was published without Latin Night. Latinos are part of this island. Latin Night is an intrinsic part of the Carnival festivities.”
De Windt said her team embraces the opportunity. “Of course, we are faced with the reality of the Covid-19 challenges, but we accept the challenge! Dominican Roots Foundation is working closely with different local Latin communities and entertainers in order to have a real Latin night organized by Latin people. Together, we will select the best choices when it comes to local and international artists, taking into consideration the Covid-19 protocols.”
SCDF urged the entire Latin community to get behind Dominican Roots Foundation and make Latin Night one to remember.
