San Miguel de Allende, Gto., 23 Aug (Notimex) .- San Miguel de Allende, World Heritage City, was declared “American Capital of Culture 2019“, reported the International Bureau of Cultural Capitals, in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain).
The State Tourism Secretariat said that the International Bureau of Cultural Capitals is accredited by the Organization of American States (OAS) since 1998 to promote tourism and generate cooperation among the world’s capitals.
THE MUNICIPAL PRESIDENT OF SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, GONZALO GONZÁLEZ, INFORMED THAT SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE WAS A CANDIDATE FOR AMERICAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE, ALONG WITH OTHER CITIES IN ARGENTINA AND PERU.
The elector committee evaluated the candidacy project (Cultural Promotion Plan), the institutional consensus and the geographical distribution of this World Heritage City.
The executive committee of the International Bureau met on Tuesday, August 21, officially made the announcement on Wednesday, the 22nd, but the signing of the commitment letter will be on October 10, 2018, once Luis Alberto Villarreal García assumes the Municipal Presidency of San Miguel de Allende.
The appointment of San Miguel de Allende as “American Capital of Culture 2019” will take effect from January 1 and until December 31, 2019.
The benefits are the repositioning of the city worldwide with the emission of 8 thousand spots in 45 countries around the world, which translates into advertising for 2 million US dollars. With this designation, San Miguel de Allende seeks to position itself as a high-end world-class tourist destination for the traveler that likes culture and fine arts.
Through diverse digital, electronic and print media, San Miguel de Allende will be endorsed before 500 million readers, as a cultural, artistic, gastronomic and historic World Heritage City for Humanity, and the brand new American Capital of Culture 2019.
The Ministry of Tourism highlighted that 18 years after the UNESCO appointment was instituted, San Miguel de Allende positioned Mexico as the country with the most American Capitals of Culture: Mérida (2000), Guadalajara (2005), Colima (2014), once again Mérida (2017) and San Miguel de Allende (2019), followed by Brazil, which has four appointments.
“WITH ABSOLUTE RESPECT AND RECOGNITION FOR THE CANDIDATURES PRESENTED BY OTHER CITIES OR STATES OF THE AMERICAN CONTINENT, SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE WAS APPOINTED “AMERICAN CAPITAL OF THE CULTURE 2019”, AFFIRMED THE PRESIDENT OF THE BUREAU.
On August 13th and 14th, the President of the International Bureau of Cultural Capitals, Xavier Tudela visited San Miguel de Allende for a brief period of time and had the chance to get acquainted with its cuisine, architecture and traditions.
During the announcement of the appointment Tudela said: “The visit I made to this city during the evaluation period of its candidacy allowed me to visualize the boost that a possible nomination as the American Capital of Culture 2019 could mean for San Miguel de Allende-Guanajuato”.
SMT Newsroom