Panama Canal Launches Campaign to Celebrate 25 Years of Its Transfer from the United States
The ‘Canal Facts’ campaign seeks to celebrate Panamanian identity and culture through artistic illustrations.
The Panama Canal launched the ‘Canal Facts’ campaign on Tuesday, which pays tribute to the “history, achievements and challenges” of the waterway to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its transfer from the United States to “Panamanian hands,” which will be celebrated on December 31. “We Panamanians have to learn to celebrate the good things. I think that one of the most important things that these 25 years have reminded us of is the capacity of a people to achieve goals,” Panama Canal administrator Ricaute Vásquez told reporters. The ‘Canal Facts’ campaign seeks to use artistic illustrations to celebrate Panamanian identity and culture, highlight the canal as a pillar of economic development, as a legacy of sustainability, the workforce and human capital, and focus on the future of the waterway, according to the report. Specifically, it aims to “inspire all Panamanians, reminding them that the Canal is a fundamental part of our history, our present and our future” by “highlighting the achievements of a united people who over the course of 25 years have demonstrated to the world the ability of Panamanians to successfully manage their main asset,” according to the Canal’s information. “We are here to celebrate a work that transcends time and borders.
The launch of the campaign for this occasion pays tribute to this vital artery that unites oceans and cultures,” declared the Minister of the Canal, José Ramón Icaza, during his speech at the event. The event, which was attended by former administrators, members of the negotiating team of the Torrijos-Carter treaties that supported the transfer of the canal to Panama, among others, kicked off a series of activities commemorating that milestone. The exhibition of ‘Hectares of the Canal’ will be on December 2 at the Interoceanic Canal Museum, the documentary ‘The Deeds of the Canal’ will also be broadcast on December 26 on several television stations, and there will be a formal ceremony for the 25 years of Panamanian administration on December 31 at 7:00 local time (12:00 GMT) in the Canal Administration building, among other events.
