Within the framework of the World Heritage Centre Thematic Programme, Human Evolution: Adaptations, Dispersals and Social Developments (HEADS), the State Government of Puebla, the World Heritage Centre and the UNESCO Office in Mexico have organized the International meeting of Experts "The First Peopling of the Americas and the World Heritage Convention" to be held at the Historic Centre of Puebla, a UNESCO World Heritage site, Mexico from 2-6 September 2013. This meeting is largely financed by the State Government of Puebla and the Extra-budgetary Spanish Funds-in-Trust for World Heritage.

The State Government of Puebla, the World Heritage Centre and the UNESCO Office in Mexico has invited a group of 35 National and International Experts, Sites Managers, members of the Scientific Committee of the HEADS Programme, ICOMOS International Committee and national representatives from a dozen of countries to participate in discussions in favor of the recognition, conservation and research of human dispersal and adaptation related sites in the Americas.

This meeting will provide an important step in strengthening national and regional cooperation and capacities in support of the future protection and sustainability of human evolution and migration related sites in the Americas. In line with activities of the UNESCO HEADS Action Plan, the meeting will offer a regional platform to evaluate current methodologies for establishing the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of related sites for potential future inscription to World Heritage List.