The declaration of Cuenca as Cultural Heritage of Humanity is remembered with acts

Cuenca

The 22 years of the declaration of Cuenca as Cultural heritage of Humanity They were remembered with a solemn act, which included the delivery of a decoration, this Wednesday, December 1.

Today, the special day began with the placement of a wreath next to the plaque that certifies this event.

After a rigorous process, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) extended this recognition to the city in 1999, and particularly to the architecture of its Historic Center, which is full of public buildings and private rooms inspired by the French style.

After singing the national anthem, the first number of the solemn session was to award the prize “Cuenca Cultural Heritage of Humanity.”

This recognition is approved by the Cantonal Council for the person or entity that supports the physical conservation of the city.

In 2021 the designation fell to the architect Diego Pesántez Merchán, after analyzing his work, especially for his insistence on maintaining constructions with the ancestral technique of bahareque, using earth and wood, as natural and ancestral elements.

After the masters of the ceremony read some congratulatory agreements, the word was taken by the mayor of the city, Pedro Palacios, who stressed that living in Cuenca is a privilege, “a true treasure”, this due to its historical background as the Cañari heritage and the republican influence that over the years resulted in a “diverse, welcoming city with a unique identity”.

In this context, he posed a question to the attendees: What city do we want for the future ?, which would imply the conservation of traditional assets with environmental harmony, but also habitable and productive.

And under the meaning that heritage is built on a daily basis, he left as a message that “we take better care of what we know.” (I)