Panama February 10, 2025. A total of 48 youth from the different compliance centers of Las Garzas are trained in art workshops that cover dance, music and visual arts, dictated by technical personnel from the Ministry of Culture (MiCultura) and professional practice students at the University of Panama's School of Fine Arts.

The activities are undertaken at centres for adolescents with training of 36 men at Las Garzas- Pacora and 12 women at Tocuman and are undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Government and the Cultural Rights and Citizenship Section at the Ministry of Culture.

Katherine Bucktron, Director of Cultural Rights and Citizenship expressed that "with this program aimed at youth at compliance centers, we have been complying with MiCultura's public policy to guarantee the participation of all citizens in our country's cultural life."

Maritza de la Cruz, co-ordinator of programs and projects at the Institute of interdisciplinary studies at the Ministry of Government, emphasized the importance of these workshops, which help to channel the emotions and stress accumulated by the confinement, enabling young people to discover their skills and get to know themselves.

The duration of the workshops is one month, with participation of university students at the Faculty of Fine Arts, who conduct their internships.

Also, at the Centre for the Custody and Compliance of Women's Residency, music workshops have been held with a focus on salsa.

The intervention at the enforcement centres at Las Garzas and Tocumen was initiated at the request of the Ministry of Government and Justice and with them a framework convention for cultural cooperation with MiCultura.

That action reaffirms MiCultura's commitment to the integral development of youth, using art and culture as a vital tool for building a better future.