< strong > FIRE AUDIOVIDUAL AREA cooperation convention MiCultura and COLOMBIAN ACADEMY of CIENTIS and CINEMATOGRAFFIC ARTS < / strong >

A framework convention for cultural cooperation aimed at unifying technical, artistic and operational efforts to conduct actions to strengthen the audiovisual sector was signed between the Ministry of Culture of Panama (MiCultura) and the Colombian Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences.

The Convention, which was initiatedby the incumbent of MiCultura, Giselle González Villarrué and the director of ACADEMIA, Elkin Sair Manco aims to articulate training, employment, entrepreneurship, development and project implementation as well as the exchange of knowledge for the construction of public policies in the cultural and creative industries that contribute to the development and fulfilment of the goal put forward by both institutions.

Minister González Villarrué argued that MiCultura with the signing of this convention "has been a giant step forward, especially in the area of cinema, because we have made interesting progress and this is but a part of a process we hope to have been built up as the basis for future initiatives that will contribute to the development of the sector in both countries."

For the incumbent of Culture, there are important issues that can be shared in research and co-production and in the exchange that will underpin cooperation that leads to the growth of the audiovisual industry, both from Panama and Colombia.

Meanwhile, Zair Manco felt that "it's very valuable to see and feel the strength of our Colombian cinema and the human talent that surrounds it" and added that to be referred to in the region "is an accomplishment built from many years of struggle, effort and constancy of the collective and association representing this audiovisual universe."

The director of The ACADEMIA positively evaluated the signing of the convention by stating that these alliances "will make our association a far more powerful and dynamic representativeness" that will benefit all members and the film field.

Through this convention, the parties undertake to promote the exchange of knowledge in the arts, audiovisual and cinematographic, its processes of promotion, distribution and dissemination, as well as creative and production development and to promote the exchange of experts and students from Panama and Colombia.

They also undertake to identify mechanisms or strategies for information exchange that will facilitate the formulation, appraisal and advice of public policies and policies related to the Panamanian audiovisual sector.

The Convention also aims to promote international cooperation for audiovisual and cultural strengthening and to promote collaboration between the Government sector, private enterprise and civil society for the development and audiovisual strengthening of Panama.

The convention challenges MiCultura to provide ACADEMIA with the logistics and technical and institutional cooperation required for the development and dissemination of joint programs, projects and activities agreed through co-ordination with and inter alia with MiCultura's administrative departments, departments and units.

Instead, ACADEMIA will have as its countercontribution, among many actions, with the necessary human, technical, information and logistics resources and means to effectively meet the objectives and commitments agreed to in this Convention by supporting the activities of MiCultura.

It will also have as its responsibility to promote the participation of its counterpart in seminars, conferences, forums and cultural activities that conduct ACADEMIA and to conduct events and activities that actively involve MiCultura.