< strong > MiCultura recognizes the work of indigenous language safeguards < / strong >

Under the International Day of Mother Language, the Ministry of Culture (MiCultura), the Panamanian Academy of the Language and the Mayor's Office of Panama organized at the Gladys Vidal Theater a cultural day that included convertiums, forums, artistic performances with traditional indigenous songs and rituals and dances and recognition.

Gabriel González, Vice Minister of Culture, highlighted the work currently being undertaken from MiCultura to visualize the inmaterial cultural heritage that native peoples have, their inputs and their traditions, that enrich our country's history and that form that legacy that identifies us.

In the dialogues, the panelists agreed that, to protect their mother tongue, the State needs to put in place a design of educational policies and models that include the knowledge of the millennial peoples as a way to share their culture, history and identity.

During the day, MiCultura gave recognition to Fidelia Alfaro, Jorge Sarsaneda, Bernal Castillo, Gloria Bejarano, Ignacio Rodriguez De Gracia, Mónica Varga, Blas Quintero, José Hayas and Deisy Guainora for their contributions to the knowledge of the oral tradition and to the safeguard of indigenous languages as a cultural heritage of Panama as part of the International Day of Mother Language.

On February 21, International Mother Language Day, UNESCO called upon countries to implement policies of multilingual education.

The organization recommends that children be taught in their mother tongue during their first years of schooling and that they be combined with their official educational languages, an approach known as plurilingual education.