IRPMZ PARTICIPATED IN THE 8TH ANNUAL MEETING

OF UNESCO CATEGORY 2 CENTRES

 

 

From May 31 to June 2, 2023, the Regional Institute of World Heritage in Zacatecas (IRPMZ) participated in the 8th Annual Meeting of UNESCO Category 2 Centres, convened this year by the International Centre for Interpretation and Presentation of World Heritage Sites under the auspices of UNESCO (WHIPIC), which took place in Sejong, Republic of Korea. The theme guiding the work of this Meeting was “Heritage Interpretation for Sustainable Development within the framework of the World Heritage Capacity Building Strategy.”

 

 

Representatives from Category 2 Centres located in Brazil, Spain, Bahrain, South Africa, India, China, South Korea, and Mexico participated in the working sessions, along with representatives from the ICCROM, ICOMOS, and IUCN Advisory Bodies, and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. During the meeting, IRPMZ representatives presented the Institute's background, the 2023 Work Plan, and how the organization has collaborated with States Parties, Advisory Bodies, and the World Heritage Centre in developing the Third Periodic Report Cycle for Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

 

 

In particular, the work proved productive for the IRPMZ because, in addition to sharing experiences and contributing to the drafting of a formal Declaration of shared intentions among the CC2s, it allowed for the establishment of direct collaboration channels with similar institutions located in Brazil, South Africa, Korea, and China, as well as with the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), with whom joint projects are already underway. This is particularly relevant because the need to strengthen these cooperative efforts was highlighted during the last evaluation of the IRPMZ conducted by UNESCO in 2021.

 

 

Finally, another significant achievement for the IRPMZ was securing Zacatecas as the host city for the International Coordination Meeting of Category 2 Centers, to be held in 2025. For this reason, as part of the IRPMZ's 15th Anniversary celebrations, our city will welcome representatives from ICCROM, IUCN, ICOMOS, and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, as well as delegations from Category 2 Centers in Brazil, Spain, Bahrain, South Africa, India, China, and South Korea. This will undoubtedly contribute to further strengthening cooperation among the various Category 2 Centers related to World Heritage and will boost our state's standing as one of the world's most important cultural capitals.

 

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