The Andean Parliament yesterday declared the District of Santa Marta located in the department of Magdalena, Colombia as an emblematic city and reference of the cultural, historical, tourist and natural heritage of the Andean region, within the framework of its 500 years of foundation, for complying with the criteria established in Resolution No. 25 of 2019 of the Board of Directors of the Andean Parliament.
The declaration was considered after being supported by the rector of the University of Magdalena, engineer Pablo Vera Salazar, within the institutional agenda that he has been developing in favor of ‘The Pearl of America’, on the occasion of the 5th Centenary.
The Andean Parliament has been working hand in hand with the University of Magdalena, developing important joint actions, including the creation of the Andean University Parliament since 2014, the preparation of the publication “Words, Butterflies and Brushes, a new look at Macondo”, the participation of academics in the debate of regulatory instruments prepared by the organization, especially those related to higher education, among others.
Likewise, by relying on the support for the declaration as an ‘Emblematic City’ presented by Dr. Vera Salazar, the Andean Parliament stated that ‘Santa Marta, with its rich history as the first city founded on the American continent, its significant role in the life of Simón Bolívar, its valuable historical architecture, its outstanding cultural figures, and its extraordinary natural ecosystems, meets the selection criteria established by Resolution 25 of the Andean Parliament.
Remember also that the Andean Parliament celebrated its 35th anniversary in Santa Marta, given that an agreement was signed there with the University of Magdalena, an outstanding higher education center in this city and in Colombia;
The decision was made during the Plenary of the Andean Parliament, meeting on June 26, 2024, within the framework of its Ordinary Period of Sessions.
In its recitals it took into account that, since 1978, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), through a committee that meets annually, has declared places or traditions that They house or are examples of exceptional cultural and natural treasures for the heritage of humanity, using criteria that have been endorsed by the governments of the States that are part of that important international organization, among which are the member countries of Parliament. Andean;
That, on November 24, 2015, the Andean Parliament approved the Regulatory Framework for the Protection and Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage, with the objective of encouraging and consolidating the protection of material and intangible cultural heritage, through the development of educational strategies that promote social appropriation of it;
That, Resolution No. 25 of 2019 of the Board of Directors of the Andean Parliament establishes the criteria that must be taken into account to declare a certain cultural expression or manifestation, material and immaterial, or a certain archaeological or natural place, as references of the region. Andean;
That, the Tourist, Cultural and Historical District of Santa Marta is located in the department of Magdalena, in Colombia, founded on July 29, 1525;
That, Santa Marta has in the conqueror and notary from Seville Rodrigo Galván de Bastidas the person who made it the first city on the American continent to be founded, a circumstance that marked the beginning of Spanish colonization in America and facilitated the exploration of new lands;
It also has a rich historical architecture of great value, highlighting the Cathedral Basilica of Santa Marta, a jewel of Renaissance architecture and the first basilica built in South America, begun in 1531. This cathedral, declared Cultural Heritage of Colombia, is a testimony to the architectural and religious legacy of the city;
That, in addition, the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino is located there, which is not only significant for being the last resting place of Liberator Simón Bolívar, but also for its design and its role as a cultural center and museum that preserves the Bolivarian legacy;
That, in Santa Marta, the hero Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar Ponte y Palacios Blanco, the Liberator of America, died on December 17, 1830. As a central figure in the independence of five South American nations and influential in many others, he spent his last days in the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, a historic site that has been consecrated as a monument to his memory;
That Santa Marta has natural habitats that are of great importance for the conservation of biodiversity, including the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the Tayrona National Natural Park, Ciudad Perdida, El Morro de Santa Marta and the Fort or Castle of San Fernando, recognized as areas of exceptional natural beauty and conservation value;
That, the Sierra Nevada is the highest coastal mountain in the world, and is home to a vast diversity of flora and fauna. Named by its ancient inhabitants, the Tayronas, as ‘Citurna’, a place name that means ‘the country of Snow’; It is a biogeographic unit that synthesizes all the ecosystems and geographic regions present in the Colombian territory;
That, the Tayrona National Natural Park is part of the traditional and ancestral territory of the Línea Negra, encompassing the four indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the Kogui, the Arhuaco, the Wiwa and the Kankuamos, who in their worldview understand the area as a fabric of physically and spiritually interconnected sacred sites and spaces. These connections occur through invisible energy threads allowing the material life of nature to express itself; starting in the thorny scrub, dry forest, humid forest and in the high areas with cloud forest; while in the coastal zone there are ecosystems of beaches, lagoons, mangrove stands and rocky coastlines. Meanwhile, in the marine area there are coral formations, sedimentary bottoms, seagrass meadows and algal congregations. Ciudad Perdida is also located there, an ancient indigenous and archaeological settlement of great historical and cultural importance that was built around the year 7003;
Likewise, the islet of El Morro, considered sacred by the indigenous peoples who inhabit the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, was a fundamental part of the history of the city since its founding, as the conquerors saw it as a point of reference and used it in the defense against pirate attacks when the El Morro fort was built there. Finally, the Fort or Castle of San Fernando, named in honor of King Ferdinand VI of Spain, was listed as a National Monument in 1989 by the National Government;
That, Santa Marta has been the cradle of numerous creative geniuses in various fields. In politics, the most relevant was the lawyer and military man José María Campo Serrano, who held the presidency of Colombia between April 1, 1886 and January 7, 1887, replacing Rafael Wenceslao Núñez Moledo from Cartagena. In his short term, he was in charge of sanctioning the Constitution of 1886, which was in force until 1991;
In sports, Carlos Alberto ‘El Pibe’ Valderrama and Radamel Falcao García stand out, iconic footballers who represented and captained Colombia in four FIFA World Cups;
In the artistic field, Carlos Vives stands out, a renowned actor, singer, composer, philanthropist and winner of a Grammy Award; who, as well as having brought popular vallenato music to a global audience, has led high-impact social initiatives that have favored the development of Santa Marta;
As an actress, presenter, model, social activist and benefactor, Taliana María Vargas Carrillo is known for her social work for vulnerable populations and demographic groups such as children, youth and women, through the Casa en el Árbol Foundation;
That, in the area of education, the journalist, writer, international lecturer and doctor in Education Alberto José Linero Gómez stands out, who has inspired the transformation of life and the evolution of people into better human beings;
These figures have not only been notable in their respective professional fields, but have also promoted Samarian and Colombian culture internationally, highlighting the valuable cultural heritage of the city;
That, Santa Marta, with its rich history as the first city founded on the American continent, its significant role in the life of Simón Bolívar, its valuable historical architecture, its outstanding cultural figures, and its extraordinary natural ecosystems, meets the criteria of selection established by Resolution 25 of the Andean Parliament;
That, for the reasons set forth above, and in accordance with its regulatory powers, the Plenary of the Andean Parliament:
RESOLVES
FIRST ARTICLE. – Declare the District of Santa Marta, located in the department of Magdalena, Colombia, as an emblematic city and a reference point for the cultural, historical, tourist and natural heritage of the Andean region, within the framework of its 500 years of foundation, for meeting the criteria established in Resolution No. 25 of 2019 of the Board of Directors of the Andean Parliament.
ARTICLE TWO. – Instruct the vice president for Colombia, Óscar Sánchez, the general secretary Dr. Eduardo Chiliquinga Mazón and Dr. Pablo Vera Salazar, president of the Andean Technical Committee for Accreditation of the Andean Network of Accredited Universities and rector of the University of Magdalena, to be the speaker of this project, deliver this Resolution to the government authorities of the city of Santa Marta.
ARTICLE THIRD. – Inform the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Andean Ministries of Culture and Education, the National Academies of History, the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (CAN), the foreign ministers of the member countries and the respective national institutions of the member States of the Andean Parliament, responsible for managing and protecting the heritage of our countries, of this Resolution.
Given and subscribed on the 26th day of June 2024. Notify and publish.
PA CRISTINA REYES HIDALGO
Chairwoman
- Eduardo Chiliquianga
General secretary
id: 66
