The 1972 UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage states that certain places on Earth have "exceptional universal value" and belong to the common heritage of mankind. 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean total 143 sites registered on the World Heritage List, 7 of which are in Chile.
World heritage constitutes the "cultural potential" of contemporary societies, contributing to the continuous revaluation of cultures and being an important vehicle for the transmission of experiences, skills and knowledge between generations. This potential allows us to move towards integral education to transmit values related to citizenship, democracy, sustainable development, solidarity and tolerance.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC/UNESCO Santiago) is launching the #partedenuestracultura campaign (It’s Part of Our Culture), supported by the National Centre for World Heritage Sites of the National Cultural Heritage Service, JC Decaux, Televisión Nacional de Chile, Fundación Olivo and FactStory.
What is the campaign?
The campaign initially focuses on Chile (May-September 2022) and will extend to other 13 Latin American countries (October 2022-May 2023). The initiative seeks to raise awareness on the role of education in valuing World Heritage as a mean for peace, social cohesion and action for sustainable development.
The campaign uses images and videos in public spaces and media to share information with people and generate interest in various aspects of education. Further information and reflections on world heritage are broadcast on social networks and open television in Chile.
Videos
Learn more about World Heritage sites in Chile
Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road system
The Qhapaq Ñan is a vast road network of approximately 30,000 kilometers built over several centuries by the Incas. This existing pre-Inca infrastructure was aimed at facilitating communication, transport and trade, as well as defense. This extraordinary system of roads extends through one of the world’s geographical areas with great contrasts, from the snowy peaks of the Andes, rising to altitudes above 6,000 meters to the Pacific coast, passing through humid tropical forests, fertile valleys and totally arid deserts. More information
Settlement and Artificial Mummification of the Chinchorro Culture
The site in the far north of Chile has three components: Faldeo Norte del Morro de Arica, Colón 10 in the city of Arica, and Desembocadura de Camarones, a rural setting about 100 km further south. Together they bear witness to a culture of marine hunter-gatherers who lived on the arid and hostile northern coast of the Atacama Desert from approximately 5450 B.C. to 890 B.C. The site presents the oldest known archaeological evidence of artificial mummification of bodies. More information
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
The Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works are comprised of a total of 200 extraction sites, where workers from Chile, Peru and Bolivia lived together in camps established by mining companies. At these sites they forged the Pampinos community culture, which were characterized by their creativity and a rich linguistic tradition. The solidarity among members of these camps and their pioneering struggle for social justice exerted a strong influence on the history of social movements. More information
Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso
The colonial city of Valparaiso is a notable example of urban and architectural development of Latin America in the late XIX century. The city is characterized by a traditional urban fabric that was adapted to the hilly setting and contrasted by geometric planning. Its urban landscape, endowed with formal unity, includes a great variety of church bell towers. The city has preserved interesting structures from the beginning of the industrial age. More information
Rapa Nui National Park
Rapa Nui –the indigenous name for Easter Island – is a testimony of one of the world’s unique cultural phenomenon. Settling on this island around 300 AD.C., and apart from all external influence, a society of Polynesian origin created monumental architectural and sculptural forms endowed with great strength, imagination and originality. From the tenth to the sixteenth century, numerous monuments and "moai" were built and sculpted - gigantic stones that form an unparalleled cultural landscape, fascinating the world to this day. More information
Sewell Mining Town
Located in the Andean Mountains, the mining town of Sewell was built by the Braden Koper company in the early twentieth century to house the workers of the El Teniente mine, soon to become the largest underground copper mine in the world. Sewell is a notable example of cities built by industrial enterprises, resulting from a combination of local labor and technical and financial resources of some industrialized nations, and aimed at the exploitation of mineral deposits and transformation of valuable natural resources. More information
Churches of Chiloé
These centuries-old buildings are intriguing examples of the region’s unique architectural style, blending Jesuit and ancient Chilote techniques to create the “Chilote school” of architecture. These churches are part of a tradition started in the 17th and 18th centuries by itinerant Jesuit preachers, a legacy continued and enriched by Franciscans during the 19th century and continue until present day. They are an example of the successful fusion of indigenous and European culture techniques. More information