HERITAGE IN OUR HANDS

These 14 monasteries stand on the slopes of Popocatepetl, to the south-east of Mexico City. They are in an excellent state of conservation and are good examples of the architectural style adopted by the first missionaries – Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians – who converted the indigenous populations to Christianity in the early 16th century. They also represent an example of a new architectural concept in which open spaces are of renewed importance. The influence of this style is felt throughout the Mexican territory and even beyond its borders.

The main objective of the project is to develop strategies for working with schools and educational organisations in order to raise awareness about the site and its value among young students. In return, they will become the site’s guardians or
ambassadors, through trainings focusing on the conservation of the archaeological heritage

The volunteers will carry out in some of the ex-convents cleaning tasks in the atriums, cleaning of walls and doors, presentation of world heritage sites of their countries, conduct interviews to tourists and local inhabitants and propose ludic awareness raising activities to the importance of protecting the heritage. In some schools in each of the communities there will be a presentation of the sites of the countries and regions where the international and national volunteers come from. Interviews of local people who actually use the site as well as tourists will be one of the activities performed at each site in order to make a diagnosis to be delivered to site managers. Together with the Young Heritage Guardians, the volunteers will perform various tasks around and in the atrium of each of the sites and inviting the local population to do it with the group. Traveling in the different communities will allow participants to discover the culture and traditions of each place.