UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

06/14/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/15/2021 15:09

Costa Rican communities and institutions strengthen their capacities to protect underwater cultural heritage

Costa Rica ratified the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, known as the 2001 Convention, in February 2018. Since then, UNESCO has supported the country in the consolidation of a legal framework to ensure the implementation of this instrument, in order to foster cultural development, economic growth, and the protection of the country's natural resources. As a follow-up to this accompaniment, UNESCO organized a series of event for the Promotion of Underwater Cultural Heritage in Costa Rica, with the aim of supporting the efforts of multiple institutions and civil society organisations in the country.

Organized in the framework of the 'Mesa Caribe' initiative together with the Second Vice-Presidency of Costa Rica, the Ministry of Culture and Youth, the National Museum of Costa Rica, the events took place on 10 and 11 June 2021 and consisted of two training and awareness-raising workshops on the implementation of the 2001 Convention in Costa Rica. The first workshop, organized thanks to the support of the Ambassadors of the Sea Community Diving Centre in Cahuita, consisted of a workshop with a community approach, aimed primarily at the youth of the town of Cahuita, which in recent years have led initiatives for the protection of submerged archaeological sites in the locality. It was attended by representatives of the Ambassadors of the Sea Community Diving Centre, the National Museum of Costa Rica, the University of Costa Rica, the Ministry of Culture and Youth and UNOPS.

The opening of the community workshop included messages from Mr. Marvin Rodriguez, Vice President of the Republic and coordinator of the Mesa Caribe initiative, Ms. Sylvie Duran, Minister of Culture and Youth, Mr. Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture and Mr. Enrique Joseph, Presidential Commissioner for Afro-descendant Affairs of Costa Rica.

La apertura del taller comunitario contó mensajes del señor Marvin Rodríguez, Vicepresidente de la República y coordinador de la iniciativa Mesa Caribe, la señora Sylvie Durán, Ministra de Cultura y Juventud, el señor Ernesto Ottone, Subdirector de la UNESCO para la Cultura y el señor Enrique Joseph, Comisionado presidencial para asuntos de la Afrodescendencia de Costa Rica.