The Regional World Heritage Institute in Zacatecas (RWHIZ), a Category 2 Center under the auspices of UNESCO, and the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST), a Category 2 Center under the auspices of UNESCO based in China, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen international cooperation on World Heritage.

The signing of the agreement took place on May 31, 2026, during the opening ceremony of the 5th Huangshan Dialogue on UNESCO-designated Sites and Sustainable Development, an international meeting organized by HIST that brought together representatives from UNESCO, consultative bodies of the World Heritage Convention, Category 2 Centers, academic institutions, government authorities, and specialists from various regions of the world.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Director General of RWHIZ, Carlos Augusto Torres Pérez, and the Director General of HIST, Prof. Guo Huadong, establishing a framework for collaboration for the next five years focused on capacity building, knowledge and experience exchange, technical and academic cooperation, as well as the development of joint initiatives related to the conservation, monitoring, documentation and management of cultural and natural heritage.

The signing of this agreement represents a significant step in strengthening ties between Category 2 Centers under the auspices of UNESCO and opens new opportunities for collaboration between Latin America and Asia to address common challenges related to World Heritage conservation, sustainable development, and capacity building.

For the Regional World Heritage Institute in Zacatecas, this Memorandum of Understanding will contribute to expanding opportunities for international cooperation to benefit Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, strengthening the exchange of experiences, access to new tools and methodologies, and collaboration with specialized institutions and international networks linked to World Heritage.

With this action, the RWHIZ reaffirms its commitment to international cooperation, capacity building, and the promotion of strategic alliances that contribute to the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention and to the protection, conservation, and sustainable management of cultural and natural heritage.