Zacatecas brings together Ibero-American rock art specialists

On May 27, the city of Zacatecas hosted the Ibero-American Symposium "Rock Art within the Framework of the 1972 Convention: Research, Conservation, and Management." This event brought together more than 80 participants—in person and online—from countries such as Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Spain, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela.

The event was organized by the Regional World Heritage Institute in Zacatecas (RWHIZ), a Category 2 Center under the auspices of UNESCO, in coordination with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), through its Center in Zacatecas. Specialists from the INAH, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and the International Center for Rock Art, a Category 2 Center under the auspices of UNESCO based in Spain, participated.

The Symposium was held at the Manuel Felguérez Museum of Abstract Art, an emblematic space of Zacatecas's heritage, and served as a platform for the exchange of experiences, research, and best practices related to the protection of rock art.

During the opening ceremony, Carlos Augusto Torres Pérez, General Director of RWHIZ, highlighted that rock art conservation faces significant challenges, including climate change, vandalism, and the lack of effective legal frameworks for its protection.

The event was organized into two working groups. The first focused on Mexican heritage sites, such as the Tlacolutla Valley (Oaxaca), the Ávalos Cave (Zacatecas), the Mulas Cave (Durango), and the Sierra de San Francisco (Baja California Sur). The second group presented national and international experiences, including La Lindosa (Colombia), the Cueva de las Manitas in the Cuicatlán region (Oaxaca), and the Altamira Cave (Spain). Likewise, the Embassy of El Salvador in Mexico, through Dr. Félix Alejandro Lerma Rodríguez, shared the documentary "Cipactli, the Crocodile Goddess," which highlights the symbolic richness of rock art in that country.

As part of the conclusions, the importance of strengthening educational strategies, community participation, and international cooperation was emphasized. It was emphasized that rock art not only represents an ancestral legacy but also constitutes a living expression of human cultural diversity.