It was a hot Sunday! kids running around everywhere, I think this is the first time where I´ve seen a soccer game where kids ride bicycles in the middle of the field during the time out. I´d say, it was exciting! 80 kids!

Social change can be tackled different ways, but probably the most sustainable one is when people from all layers of a community come together for a common goal. Slowly, Casco Viejo is becoming a model on how to fight extreme poverty through community activism.

Every day, people bring hope. And that is the real beauty of the fight.

The final countdown for the Panama Jazz Festival 2010 has started. This year, the event will be dedicated to Sonny White who was a Panamanian pianist from the 20´s who played with international music stars such as Billie Holiday, Willie Bryant and Frankie Newton. Check out who is playing when and where!

Skating is one of Casco Viejo´s most popular street sports... and yet we don´t have a proper skating park. Artist Cristine and Dom made a party to gather funds to create one!

On December 13th, children and adults of all ages, regardless of sex and races came together at 3 pm to march for peace and nonviolence...

A Foundation that helps women of low resources to overcome in life...

Our friend and neighbor Steve sent us a great video!

Casco Viejo community woke up early this Sunday. Their goal: clean one of Casco´s most recognizable beaches, but also create awareness about garbage disposal in the old quarter.

Each year, 13 millions acres of tropical forests disappear(FAO 2005)...

Culture is hardly ever thought as an economic engine. But it is! and as a secondary effect, it also raises the lifestyle of the society as a whole (or was it all the way around?). Join hands and contribute to Casco Viejo´s cultural future...

Chess provides the human mind a fantastic mathematical challenge, as well as strategic thinking skills. Today, I saw children of San Felipe learning the ropes of chess...

EPA Español in Panama is offering Spanish conversational lessons in Casco Viejo starting on August 31st...

Which NGO´s and charitable foundations work in Casco? this posting is part of a six-posting series. Here you´ll find who/what and how to participate of: FUNDACION SAN FELIPE

Which NGO´s and charitable foundations work in Casco? this posting is part of a six-posting series. Here you´ll find who/what and how to participate of: HOGAR DE LA INFANCIA AND CASCO ANTIGUO DANCE SCHOOL

Which NGO´s and charitable foundations work in Casco? this posting is part of a six-posting series. Here you´ll find who/what and how to participate of: DANILO PEREZ FOUNDATION

Which NGO´s and charitable foundations work in Casco? this posting is part of a six-posting series. Here you´ll find who/what and how to participate of: THE SCOUTS

Which NGO´s and charitable foundations work in Casco? this posting is part of a six-posting series. Here you´ll find who/what and how to participate of: APROJUSAN

Which NGO´s and charitable foundations work in Casco? this posting is part of a six-posting series. Here you´ll find who/what and how to participate of: FUNDACION CALICANTO

After the fall of one of the walls of Hotel Central in Casco Antiguo, it brought the attention of the community in a way on thinking that a part of our country has desappear...

Yesterday, the Residents and Friends of Casco Antiguo Association (Asociación de Vecinos y Amigos del Casco Antiguo)hit town!

You just have a few days... don´t miss this great play in Anita Villalaz Teather until May 30th.

By Friday, Plaza Catedral (known also as Plaza Independencia) had "new residents"... tents started to pop out, artists and hippies Woodstock style camped along with the Naso to support their cause. By Sunday, they had a small concert organized taking advantage that the Flea Market was going on.

The king is coming! The naso tribe has been camping for a while now at Plaza Catedral asking for a hearing with the President to talk about their relocation. The government is building a hydroelectric plant for which they have to be relocated... something that somehow they still haven´t figured out. So their king, Valentin Santana is coming this sunday to push the issue and create awareness on their cause.

All of this happening in Plaza Herrera! while always considered the "back" of San Felipe, somehow I´m getting the impression of being at a cutting edge front.

Emerging artists, locals, investors, art, music and criollo food. Casco Viejo has become Panama´s reference for cultural events. But there is more to it than meets the eye...

Breaking the cycle of poverty in Casco Viejo is really simple. It just takes dedication, knowledge and love. Children are so eager for these elements, they´ll do the rest. They have found a home in this program, and now their home just got better!

Pum!Pum! Pum! ... to the left.... cha chaaanann to the righttttt cha chaaannn down! up! around! A classic summer day in Casco Viejo!

The US Marines invade Casco Viejo! learn why.....

A historic event took place today. The old music conservatory came alive. A dream came true. Lives where changed. All because of two visionaries: Danilo Perez and Conservatorio S.A.

After a year of several shocks, ups and downs in value, and true uncertainty regarding the future, we wanted to start fresh this new year with an inspirational thought

Skaters welcome to San Felipe! With the double purpose of keeping kids out of the streets and keeping them in good shape, we are sponsoring space for a Skate Park within one of our buildings. The guys from Flow (the skate and surf store) donated the materials, some equipment and training, and the kids brought their enthusiasm.

A pioneer program at Casco Antiguo is changing the lives of underprivileged residents.

Yesterday we just received a mail from Canal House about a guest that enjoyed his stay in Casco Antiguo. They forward to us an interesting post from Keys Life newspaper from USA; with a lovely review.

Night of art and music in Casco Antiguo

During the last weekend after completing the Second Songwriter Festival on Casa Góngora in San Felipe, Spanish singer-songwriter Jesús Garriga visited us and delighted us with his music on this great festival.

Heriberto Trejos had a big smile on his face. A group of women who live in San Felipe, Santa Ana and Chorrillo are being interviewed to participate in a hotel training course organized by Fundacion Calicanto. As the manager of the foundation, Heriberto has a diverse portfolio of social projects, all of them with a common goal: breaking the cycle of poverty in the local families of Casco Antiguo, allowing them to take control of their lives and be an active element of the thriving future of the historic city.

When Al Gore launched his “ Inconvenient Truth” he touched many nerves world wide. Liked it or not, people reacted in such a way that has forced all relevant presidential candidates ( like Barak Obama and John Mccain) to take note of these issues seriously. The energy crisis is real. Just today (and to make things worst) I opened the newspaper and read how hurricane Ike has at least a dozen of refineries closed in the United States. Food crisis is coming up next. What can we do?

Last Saturday a nice article came out about Casco Viejo (which in Panama is known as San Felipe, Catedral, la Ciudad... so many names!). I looked for it in the electronic version of La Prensa, but couldn´t find it. So here is my translation and the original piece scanned at the bottom. It talks about speculation, restoration, patrimony (human and architectural) and what has been done in the past 10 years.

An amazing program is changing the lives of local families in Casco Antiguo. Check it out and join!

We received a flash note from Quintessentially announcing the next "Silent Auction" of Fundacion San Felipe. This year, it will be held at the Marriott hotel, and all proceeds will go to their various programs ranging from art to photography for kids.

It isn´t summer, but somehow Casco Viejo hasn´t slowed down too much regarding cultural events. August 8th will have a special presentation of a German Jazz Duet where all profits will go to social work in Darien. July still gets a Contemporary Dance Encounter and an Art Auction from the Museum of Contemporary Art at Casa Cor. Learn when and who to contact here!

Passionate, skillful and thoughful. Samantha, our Casco Viejo female surf champion fired up in Cambutal last weekend at Cambutal and took home a very good prize. She has become a national pride and a local roll model.

Sometimes the world´s problems overwhealm you: politicians are doing their best to make your life worst, news of contamination, low education in the new generations, Dooms Day. But sometimes we are reminded that we do have the power to change things around. We actually excersice that power every day... That is one of the many things I like about Casco Viejo. Small projects have a huge impact... check this out and get inspired.

There are advantages to living in Casco Viejo when a major event is being held there...

As many times as I have walked the Calles of Casco Antiguo, the un-restored buildings in their dilapidated condition are endlessly fascinating...

All over Panama City, the one thing that is rarely missing on the streets where there is parking is a bien cuidao...

At the foot of Casco Viejo is a beautiful pocket park called "Baluarte de las Mojas"

This might be Friday the Thirteenth, but it not to worry, there is far too much excitement in Casco Viejo...

One of these days, the headline in La Prensa might read, “Tram Service in Casco Antiguo Returns”.

For those of you who might like to keep up with Panama news ...

When Patrizia and Casey planned their recent wedding ceremony...

Most buildings are transformed in Casco Antiguo after two or more years...

The advantage of living in Casco Viejo is the variety of small shops within a couple of blocks of my home in Casco Viejo.

Entrepreneurship is a beautiful thing to see. Locals getting up by themselves and actively being part of Casco Antiguo´s revitalization. That is fantastic. VIP Fruits and Sandwiches is here!

Apparently there was a "Women´s Day" last week. At the same time I wonder if there is a "Man´s Day" at some point other than Father´s Day, since there is ceirtainly a "Children´s Day" (at least in Panama) on top of other holidays. The good part of actually getting a day named with a theme (other than selling more of the corresponding merchandise) is that some people actually takes the time to think seriously about it and create true awareness about the issue.

March is the month when most schools start in Panama. In a few weeks, the Casco (and the country) will be filled with excited kids running around like crazy in their blue uniforms with smiles on their faces walking to school. Despite all their enthusiasm, truth is that most parents from the community find it very difficult to buy all the necessary books and materials. This is a campaign to raise funds to help them out. Want to be part of it? Takes very little...

Like a soldier holding the fort under "extreme weather conditions" (meaning the day was hot as hell) Mery held her head high and smiling during the last Casco Viejo Flea Market, all for a good cause: to provide information to the local population about...

You open the newspaper anywhere in the world (Panama is not the exception!) and all you see is trouble. Get to the "international" section and you are splashed with the blood of all the current conflicts overseas, which are, sad enough, many.  The environment is suffering no matter what people say or don´t say and everything sounds so apocaliptic it makes you unsensitive. It surpasses your level of caring. What can I do? I´m just one person. Problems are just so overwhealming. We have too many of our own problems to be worrying about water, pollution, poverty and war.

But then I get to work, to my "mini" environment, to those small things I can control and contribute. From home composting to donating courses for low income families to get their children to the Scouts or the mothers back to school. Small details that change their lives forever, a great return for little money and a lot of good will. 

One of the things I enjoy the most from living, working and investing in Casco Viejo is that it gives me the opportunity to help others around me. I didn´t have that compelling thrive when I lived outside Casco. The phrase "To Live, to love, to learn and to leave a legacy" was confined to teaching ballet the best I could to my young students.

But in Casco Viejo you can be the difference. And the multiplying effect is almost immediate.

Families growing happier, step by step taking control of their lives. Children learning new skills with a smile on their face. Buildings getting restored, history recovered. A city coming back to life.

At the end of the day, we don´t need to save the world. We only need to save as much as our street. Not even our neighborhood! that will fall naturally. Sometimes I think the problem is when people say: either I go for the big stuff or I don´t do it at all. Well... Big stuff is important, but starting on the lower level sometimes is more meaningful and creates the basis for the big stuff to happen when things are ready.

And what do I gain? directly: happy neighbors! In my own small way, I believe a better neighborhood makes for a better country and a better future.

 

Panama, Community: In need of a haircut? Panama now has a wide range of options... but very few (probably none!) like V.I.P in Avenida A and Calle 5ta. A unique barbershop run by one of Casco´s gang (known as Calle 4ta)

The bollo man, the yogurt girl, the chicheme guy and the grilled chicken family... they are all examples of local Casco Viejo neighbors that have created sucessful businesses. How can we help spread that "inner fire" around? keep reading... and join the cause!