Bill 613.

Summary.

The bill establishes a framework to protect, safeguard and promote cultural expressions associated with the accordion through community participation and transmission between generations. It creates the Dorindo Cárdenas National Accordion Festival and its governing board. The Festival would take place each year on the last weekend of January in the province of Los Santos, district of Los Santos, corregimiento (district) of Sabana Grande, while promoting cultural and educational activities nationwide. It defines the accordion, Festival, cultural identity, governing board and cultural tourism.

The board’s objectives include organizing and ensuring the annual celebration, presenting folklore activities and facilitating the participation of exhibitors, musicians, ensembles and emerging talent. It would arrange educational activities about Dorindo Cárdenas in schools in the province of Los Santos, with the endorsement of the Ministry of Education (Ministerio de Educacion), and academic events about the accordion. It would encourage businesses, hotels, tourist sites and media outlets to promote the Festival, grant recognitions, create the Festival’s “Master of Masters” National Accordion Award, the “Pride of Los Santos” award and an “artistic career” medal, and promote cultural tourism and the local economy. The musical ensemble of the “Pride of Los Santos” standard-bearer would perform the official opening.

The governing board would have a board of directors whose officers would be chosen by its members and which would adopt internal rules. Its members would represent the mayor’s office of the district of Los Santos, the Ministry of Culture (Ministerio de Cultura), the Panama Tourism Authority (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá), the Azuero chapter of Kiwanis, the organizing family of Daniel Dorindo Cárdenas, the Diocese of Chitré, the Corregimiento of Sabana Grande and the Panamanian Society of Authors and Composers (Sociedad Panameña de Autores y Compositores, SPAC). The institutions and associations would appoint representatives for two years, each with an alternate; they would serve without pay. The family would participate directly in decisions concerning use of the name, image and artistic legacy. Use of “Dorindo Cárdenas” would be authorized for the Festival’s name without transferring rights; other uses would require prior express authorization and would have to respect his dignity and career.

The board could set its budget, schedule and service fees and oversee the allocation of state funds. It would manage its property diligently, follow Ministry of Culture guidelines, submit its management plan for approval, cooperate with budget oversight by the Ministry and the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (Contraloría General de la República), and publish its schedule and budget expenditure. Its assets and income would include property, donations, state contributions channeled through the Ministry of Culture and the Tourism Authority (Autoridad de Turismo), sponsorships, event income and financial returns. It would prepare its bylaws and internal rules within six (6) months after promulgation and notify the Ministry of Culture. The proposed law would take effect the day after promulgation.

The bill connects the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, Panama Tourism Authority, Tourism Authority and Office of the Comptroller General with the Festival’s organization, promotion or oversight. It could also concern musicians, authors, schools, media outlets, businesses, hotels and cultural tourism providers in the province of Los Santos.