First Training Programme for Creative and Cultural Industries

Panama, 11 November 2020-The National Government opened its call to launch the first training program for Creative and Cultural Industries, with an aim to increase the projects related to cultural and natural heritage, with priority at the historic centre of Panama), which includes the cordments of Santa Ana, San Felipe and El Chorrillo, as well as the districts of Portobelo and San Lorenzo, province of Colón, with a range of about 200 entrepreneurs benefitted.

That initiative forms part of priority actions 94 and 95 of the National Government's action plan to promote and promote jobs at the Creative and Cultural Industries for sustainable development.

The program's resources, which will be open up to November 26 of this year, come from Loan Contract 4450 / OCCN with the Inter-American Development Bank (BID) for the financing of the "Programme of Support for the Conservation and Management of Cultural and Natural Heritage" of Panama ″, whose performing agency is the Ministry of Culture.

Both at Panama's historic centre and at Portobelo and San Lorenzo, investments will be made with respect to cultural and environmental rehabilitation through the management and technical accompaniment of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs with ideas in the creative and cultural industries.

The first phase of this program includes four courses that start from January 04 next year. From there, participants have to go through the phases of business workshops, accompaniment and mentoring to end up with the phase of direct assistance and seed capital that will be delivered to 100 projects selected.

It was reported that there will be accompaniment workshops, mentories and the delivery of direct assistance with nonreimbursable funds to 100 projects and will be conducted by the Innovation Center of the City of Knowledge Foundation, using methods already tested in training and virtual mentories in programs such as the Business Canal.

The program is an essential part of the construction of the creative ecosystem and will be an integral part of the economic and social development of the Creative districts, of strategic projects of the Plan Crea in Panama, the National Strategic Plan for Creative Economics and its sustainable development identified, at its first phase, at the Centro Histórico de Panama and at the above-mentioned districts of Colón, Maru Gálvez, Director of Creative Economics at the Ministry of Culture, explained.

The 1,200 people selected for the training program will be announced next December. To sign up for the program, interested parties have to get to www.MiCultura.gob.pa by 04 December.