Colón, Panama — May 27, 2026 — A group of 23 young people from Colón Province have completed a ten‑week training program dedicated to safeguarding the underwater cultural heritage of the Panamanian Caribbean. The initiative, titled Youth for the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, was organized by UNESCO in partnership with Panama’s Ministry of Culture and supported by the Spain–UNESCO Trust Fund and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
The Panamanian Caribbean coastline holds a rich legacy of submerged and semi‑submerged cultural treasures, reflecting centuries of connection between communities and the sea. Through hybrid training sessions, participants gained skills in cultural mediation, heritage interpretation, and community awareness.
One of the program’s major achievements was the creation of Red Baluarte: Sentinels of the Caribbean, a youth‑led organization committed to protecting and promoting underwater cultural heritage. At the closing ceremony in Portobelo’s Royal Customs House, participants reaffirmed their dedication to preserving this heritage as a source of memory, identity, and sustainable development.
Underwater cultural heritage faces growing threats, including looting, unregulated exploitation, and climate change impacts such as ocean acidification. UNESCO emphasized that community participation, particularly youth leadership, is vital to safeguarding these resources within the framework of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030).
Panama, the first country to ratify the 2001 Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, continues to demonstrate its commitment to conservation and research. With support from AECID, the program has positioned young people not just as beneficiaries but as key agents of change, building sustainable cultural governance models for their communities.
