As of January 1st , the locality of San Miguel de Allende in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico became the Cultural Capital of America , an appointment it will bear until the end of 2019, stated the International Bureau of Cultural Capitals (CAC) .
In this context, and through a voting process, seven sites were chosen as “San Miguel de Allende’s Cultural Heritage Treasures,” which have been included in the organization’s World Cultural Heritage Treasures.
These “Cultural Heritage Treasures” are: The Church of San Miguel Arcángel and its historic temples; the Sanctuary and House of Spiritual Exercises of Jesús de Nazareno de Atotonilco; The Festivity of San Miguel Arcángel; the Festivity of Our Lord of the Conquest; the Historic Districts; the Cañada de la Virgen archeological site; and El Arte Popular of wool and brass .
The mayor of San Miguel de Allende, Luis Alberto Villarreal , and the chairman of the International Bureau of Cultural Capitals, Xavier Tudela , signed the designation agreement.
The campaign called “7 Treasures of San Miguel de Allende’s Cultural Heritage,” promoted by the locality’s government and the CAC, seeks to promote and advertise the city’s cultural heritage in a didactic and educational way. Furthermore, the campaign seeks to draw tourists to the “cultural heritage treasures” at hand.
The government of San Miguél de Allende also seeks to create new tourist routes for visitors to get more acquainted with the city’s richness while promoting citizen participation.
With the recent designation of San Miguel as the 2019 Cultural Capital of America, Mexico is at the lead with five cultural capital designations, followed by Brazil (4), and Chile (also 4) .
Countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela have each had an American Cultural Capital as well.
Since 1998 , the Cultural Capital of America program has sought to promote inter-American integration from a cultural standpoint, contributing to a better knowledge of American nations, as well as their regional diversity.
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