Panama, July 30, 2025. - For 5 days, 643 artisan from across the country will be presenting their talent to the public at the most important artisan event of the year: the National Crafts Fair. In an interesting sample of what's occurring at the artisan, folkloric and gastronomic level, the public will be able to enjoy an extensive range of talent at the ATLAP Convention Center from 30 July to Sunday 3 August.

In its 45 version, this year the fair highlights the "Heritage: Ancestral Know-how," and reaffirms its commitment to Panamanian cultural identity and to a clear mission: honor the past, celebrate the present and project the future.

The Minister of Culture, María Eugenia Herrera, emphasized that this year's motto, "Heritage: Ancestral Know," wants us to reflect and that "every artisan should remember who transmitted or gave his gift to him and ask himself who his legacy is currently giving him, who his apprentices are, who, his billionaire heirs of ancestral wisdom."

He also highlighted the participation of women "Of 643 artisan today here on the islands of ATLAPA, 494 are women. The female force as a supplier and as a worker: it makes history, because she works at home and she's the manager of her own personal company and that doesn't discourage parents from home. In many regions of indigenous and provincial areas, man looks for fibre, wood, processing materials and together they make up that family company that gives them independence and well-being."

At the opening of the artisan fair, María Eugenia Herrera and in the presence of the first lady of the Republic, Maricel Cohen de Mulino, gave herself the "San José Decor" to the artisan teacher 2025, Gloria Lina Hernández.

Upon receiving the prize, the new artisan teacher said "to be here representing my fellow craftsmen is a special honor, because it represents my whole life. I have with me the culture and tradition of my ancestors as a source of income for many entrepreneurs from my dear province of Coclé, and I represent them with love and pride."

Attractions will offer "artisan experiences" at no additional cost, such as: pottery and ceramics, showing the production technique of mud pieces with pre-Columbian art, representing the Mestizo tradition with original influence.

Also work in leather, in the fabric of traditional cuttings as a representation of the peasant culture. The Fairy Congos, with the production of masks and their clothing, representing the Afro-colonial culture and, textiles and fibre emberá, with the embroidery of traditional fibers and cesteria of the people emberá.

The public will have an opportunity to be part of the challenges with which talent can be rewarded with its different facets, and most important of them with the San José Decor with an award to long and productive master craftsmen.

With an extensive artistic offer, we have been dedicated to the public with 5 sets of shows: children and youth and for adults, leading to the best of typical music. It's about 100 hours of performances with about 120 folkloric groupings, more than 10 inclusion and 5 high-track musicians.

At the end of the 5 day fair a package car will be drilled among all attendees who have registered their ticket through the QR code printed on the tiquet.

The exhibition will be available to the public from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout the fair and will have a Metrobus line from the Albrook terminal and get to ATLAPA.

The event was attended by ministers of state, heads of government institutions, artisans, sponsors and public at large.