31 May 2021
The music contest “Panamá Unidos en Canción” (Panama United in Song) was organized by the artist Patricia Vlieg and the organization Youth United for Education, with the support of the Ministries of Culture and Education of Panama, civil society actors, and the UNESCO Office in San Jose. “Panamá Unidos en Canción” sought to bring young people between the ages of 15 and 24 closer to traditional Panamanian music.
The “ritual and festive expressions of the Congo culture”, inscribed on the Representative list of the Convention, is a testimony to the rich exchange of cultures that Panamanian traditional music embodies.
A core aspect of safeguarding living heritage is stimulating interest amongst young people. In line with this, the contest began with a capacity-building workshop on living heritage for young participants. With the active support of the San Jose UNESCO Office, over 50 young people from the local communities learned basic notions about intangible cultural heritage, the importance of safeguarding and the role of youth in living heritage.
See the Awards Gala of the contest here, where 3 winning groups of young people will now have the opportunity to work with a team of mentors for the musical production, filmography, scriptwriting and professional production of their videos.
