Puerto Rico at the Smithsonian.

Puerto Rico has taken center stage at the Smithsonian Latin Center in Washington, DC. “Puerto Rico at the Smithsonian” has partnered with the Museum of Puerto Rican Art (MAPR) to create a series of programs highlighting Latin American culture through exhibitions and educational activities.

The activities began on September 17 with the opening of the exhibit “Posters of the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1949 – 1989” in the lobby of S. Dillon Ripley Center in Washington, DC. Free to the public, the exhibit will remain open until January 18, 2009.

A black-tie gala “Smithsonian con Sabor” was held September 18 at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. At the gala, “Legacy Awards” were presented to six distinguished Puerto Ricans for their contributions to culture and heritage in the international arena. The 2008 recipients are: Pepón Osorio in the arts; doctors Orlando Figueroa, Antonia Novello and Ariel Lugo in the sciences; Marta Casals Istomin and Dr. Juan Flores in the humanities.

For a look at the gala and the interviews with Legacy winners as well as Karen Garnik, Director of Rums of Puerto Rico, and Terestella Gonzalez Denton, executive director of the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico is available at http://www.moreaboutthat.info/tres12/>