Durango received worldwide recognition when it was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with the sacred site of Hauxa Manaka, located in Cerro Gordo, municipality of Pueblo Nuevo. This site is part of the Sacred Route of the Wixárika People to Wirikuta, which spans five states and protects spaces of great spiritual, historical, and cultural value. The recognition was achieved thanks to the support of Governor Esteban Villegas Villarreal, who personally promoted Durango’s inclusion in the list starting in 2024.
This designation strengthens the state’s tourism and cultural profile by positioning it within a global network of destinations with exceptional heritage value. It represents an opportunity to attract visitors interested in spiritual tourism, indigenous cultures, and routes that connect with Mexico’s deepest roots.
In November of last year, at the direction of the governor, the Secretary of Tourism, Elisa Haro Ruiz, and the director of the State Institute of Culture, Francisco Pérez Meza, participated in the technical defense of the candidacy before the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), as part of the national team led by the INAH.
During the ceremony in Paris, Santos de la Cruz, representative of the Wixárika people of Bancos de Calitique, Mezquital, offered a message of gratitude for this international recognition of their territory, culture, and spirituality.
As part of the Mexican diplomatic delegation, representatives of the Durango State Government attended the UNESCO General Assembly, where the inscription was formalized. They accompanied the team led by the Mexican diplomatic mission to UNESCO, along with the INAH Director of World Heritage and the Director of Conservación Humana A.C.
Víctor Fernando, a UJED student, was selected for the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program in Puebla.
With this registration, Durango achieves its second UNESCO recognition—along with the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro—strengthening its cultural identity and reaffirming its commitment to protecting indigenous peoples and promoting respectful, sustainable, and identity-based tourism.
Source: oem
