Panama, March 2, 2026. - Encouraged by the Ministry of Culture and the National Library of Panama, the Children's and Youth Circle of Oral Narration "Héctor Collado" held ten years of his career at the Children's Room of the National Library, last Saturday, February 28 as one of the most inspiring cultural initiatives of the country.

During this decade, more than 80 children and youth have been integrated into this storyteller's seedling that, through presentations at libraries, schools, fairs and cultural spaces in different provinces, has brought the magic of tales to thousands of people throughout the national territory.

The celebration had with the 22 participants currently making up the group where Sofia Hernández, Henrique Castro and Sara Barrios offered an outstanding demonstration of oral narrative, showing that the tradition continues with force in the new generations. Then, the projection of the "Coral of Stories" shown the collective work that characterizes the circle.

One of the most moved moments was the production of audiovisual materials that reviewed the group's path. The public enjoyed the commemorative video "10 years of good stories" and later "Voices and memories of young storytellers," a testimony space that allowed them to listen to those who grew up telling tales and today they are part of the vivid memory of the project.

The international character of the meeting was felt with the greetings of narrators from the Ibero-American scene as Adriana Sautu (Argentina), Alekos (Colombia), Julio González "El Gallowero" (Colombia), Saul Olmedo (Panama), Dagoberto Chung (Panama) and Hector Collado himself, highlighting the cultural links that the circle has built beyond the boundaries.
The activity brought together families of the children and distinguished personalities as Bouchra Boudchiche, Ambassador of Morocco to Panama, Katherine Bucktron, Director of Cultural Rights and Citizenship at the Ministry of Culture, Guadalupe Rivera, technical director of the National Library and the well-known oral narrators Dagoberto Chung and the poet Héctor Collado.

The program's main achievements have been participation at the International Panama Book Fair since 2017 and at national literary and cultural festivals. Also, they have created their own spaces as the festival "Small Narrators of Great Stories," the "Intercultural Fest of Stories and Legends" and "To love you Panama: Taste Stories with a Fancy to Homeland," initiatives that strengthen their identity, collective memory and love for their cultural traditions.

Carlos Fong, a cultural promoter and leader of the group, stated that "this program keeps its doors open permanently throughout the year for children and youth interested in breaking into the art of oral narrative as an area of artistic training, personal growth and construction of cultural citizenship."