Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino is scheduled to visit the former National Library, located in front of the National Assembly, which he described as a "monument to abandonment and national neglect" and that safeguards a great treasure of documented history since the beginning of the Nation.
The president also highlighted that the Minister of Culture, Maruja Herrera, will execute a national plan for the rehabilitation, repair, and modernization of 40 public libraries nationwide.
During the press conference, the president announced that the National Library already has the necessary funds to guarantee its operation, and that resources for the coming years are also secured.
Mulino assured that the modernization of the National Library will allow for the execution of essential projects, such as the digitization of the Nation's documentary heritage.
The Ernesto J. Castillero National Library will be declared a national historical heritage site through a decree that President José Raúl Mulino will sign, who emphasized that this institution holds part of the history and legacy that supports the country's identity.
The financing was achieved thanks to a cultural cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Culture (MiCultura) and the Pro National Library Foundation. This will allow for the normalization of its operations, after it had to suspend Saturday service due to the lack of a budget for fiscal year 2025.
