Cozumel seeking recognition of Best Practices before Unesco

Cozumel, Q.R. — The Biocultural Itinerary of Cozumel is seek the recognition of Best Practices before Unesco. According to the INAH, the project was announced during the Intersectoral and Technical Meeting on Best Practices and Underwater Cultural Heritage.

The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) says the route will prioritize the dissemination, enjoyment and responsible access to the island’s heritage, which ranges from prehistory to the 20th century

In order to make visible and safeguard the heritage of this Mexican Caribbean island, the “Yucatan Peninsula Nautical and Underwater Route” was presented. The island will seek to propose itself to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) to obtain the distinction of Best Practices.

Authorities of the federal Ministry of Culture, through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the Sub-directorate of Underwater Archeology (SAS), reported that the initiative derives from a global trend regarding the democratization of the island’s heritage.

According to the head of the Yucatan Peninsula Office of the SAS, Helena Barba Meinecke, the eventual recognition of Best Practices would make Cozumel the spearhead of a project that will seek, in the long term, to integrate other terrestrial and underwater sites of the peninsula.