For five days, a number of artistic events that enhance artisan work will be held at the Atlapa Convention Centre to celebrate the 44 edition of the National Crafts Fair dedicated this year to artisan and traditional clothing technologies.

At the rate of popular pieces run by the National Assembly's Folkloric Association, the National Crafts Fair welcomed tens of visitors to this artisan party that will be held up to June 23 with a variety of activities such as folk, artistic, training workshops, competitions, educational tours and more with a view to providing an experience with our national identity.

as part of the opening ceremony, the master of the artisan Claudino Sandoval, with more than 60 years of dedicated to the crafts in the area of leather, was put into place the St. Joseph's Decoration, best recognition established by law to that Panamanian who through the crafts builds a legacy for generations.

He responded to the Minister of Culture, Giselle González Villarrué with the Governor of the province of Panama, Carla García to give this distinction that values the work made art and that recognizes those "artisan teachers" that have dedicated their lives and leave prints through their creations.

González Villarrué, in his intervention emphasized the meaning of this fair and noted that "crafts are the most tangible piece of inmaterial cultural heritage. It's the knowledge and skills of their hands that makes them a living heritage of the nation."

Concerning the interest of the artisan who attend to the calls to be part of this event, the highest Panamanian cultural authority, she emphasized that "this year 2024 we received 653 catalogs of artisan from different regions of the country, the number of interested ones will be exceeded, leaving us with the right reading as an institution and as a nation."

They are more than 400 artisan from all the provinces and comarcas that will share their art in different fields such as wood, textiles, mud, goldsmiths, fibres and other as well as consumer crafts, varied gastronomy, artisan cosmetics and more.

Visitors will also gain all kinds of items and have direct connections with artisans and will be able to enjoy interactive spaces at the artisan pavilion where they will have an experience with production from a seatcape, with Wounaan body painting and with production of a devil mask both congo and Corpus Christi.

Also for the public have been available an "immersive tunnel" in which they are submerged by means of images that have been moved in the work of artisan production technologies, in our national landscapes and in the fauna and flora that we possess.

The Feria's program includes about 100 artistic groupings from different regions at national level as well as the National Orchestra Network and the National Ballet of Panama.

Also, as part of this event, special recognition will be given to characters from the 10th and the Panamanian triva.

As a result of the first fair day at which the entrance was free of charge, about 5,000 100 people have been put in through a survey and have been described as excellent.