The Ecological Blue Flag seen at nearly 300 Costa Rican beaches, communities and schools, will soon be seen waving on Panamanian beaches, communities and schools.
Panamanian First Lady Vivian Fernández last week officially launched that country’s Blue Flag Program, modeled after the one that has existed in Costa Rica for the past 10 years.
With technical and administrative support from their Costa Rican counterparts, Panamanian government officials inaugurated the program April 26 with a participating 14 beaches, 78 communities and 94 schools across Panama, according to the daily La Nación.
Fernández announced the implementation of the program in her country during Costa Rica’s annual Blue Flag awards ceremony earlier this year (TT,March 24).
In Costa Rica, 57 beaches, 21 communities and 222 schools boast the distinction, granted by a national committee of representatives from the Ministry of Public Health, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), the National Water and Sewer Institute (AyA), the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), and the National Chamber of Tourism.
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