Iberesco's new presidency lies with Panama

The Intergovernmental Council (IIC) of the Ibero-American Research and Training Fund (IBERESCEN) elected Panama through the Ministry of Culture (MiCultura) to serve as Chair of the Programme during 2023 and will be represented by Renan Fernández, Executive Assistant to the National Section of the Arts.

The 17 member countries unanimously voted for the representative of Panama, Fernandez, to preside over the Ibero-American programme and to highlight the fact that she's one of the most long-term representatives at the current Intergovernmental Council.

Other criteria for selection are the work undertaken through the Executive Board and the work committees established in recent years for the development and implementation of Iberescenna's four-year strategic plan 2022- 2025.

The programme's directives emphasized the importance of this next administration, which lies with the Youngest Cultural Ministry of Iberoamerica, who will run the program as from 1 January 2023.

Giselle González Villarrué, Minister of Culture, stated that "we consider bearing this responsibility about our institution as a fundamental opportunity to consolidate both the governance of the Programme and its good practice."

For his part, Renan Fernández referred to "as a representative of Panama, I accept this responsibility with care and with the aim of continuing to build a path of governance by the industry, maintaining consultative processes that will allow us to strengthen our aid lines, special projects and synergies for networking, accompanied by innovation and digitalization of our processes."

The Ibero-American Academic Arts Aid Fund (IBERESCEN) was established in November 2006 and Panama became a party in 2013 with a view to promoting the exchange, creation and professionalization of Ibero-American performing arts.