PROJECT DETAILS: The Patrimonito project is part of the World Heritage Program implemented by UNESCO’s World Heritage Center in cooperation with the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service. Patrimonito integrates international workcamps as a means to raise awareness of the local population about the importance of protecting their local heritage, to demonstrate the value of non-formal education and to create spaces for cooperation between the World heritage managers and the local population. The 2013 Patrimonito edition proposed by VIMEX comprises workcamps in 8 out the 14 ex –convents situated in the Slopes of the Popocatepetl volcano and in the archaeological zone of Xochicalco which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1999 because it is an exceptionally well preserved and complete example of a fortified city of the Epiclasic Mesoamerican period, with the addition of new defensive items such as ramps, pits, bastions and forts. In addition to exceptional planning features, as the hill on which it was established the city was changed through cutting and filling giving it a unique distribution
WORK: Volunteers will participate in the maintenance of Archaeological Zone: carrying out cleaning, weeding, pruning trees, gaps tops, signage repair and cleaning of structures. Also they will strengthen links with communities surrounding the site for awareness on the protection and conservation of the site through lectures on World Heritage and its meaning, various workshops, activities of coexistence with the community and implementation of surveys.
In addition, the Volunteers will also participate in the following tasks:
- Presentations in power point about World Heritage about their countries in local schools, use of the WH Map to show people and students where their site is placed and the volunteer countries.
- English workshops while presenting the WH sites in other parts of the world.
- There will be a meeting with the Centre INAH Morelos, in charge of the preservation of the Cultural heritage in the region as well as with other actors and institutions.
- After–work activities, participation in local and regional festivities, learning local specialties such as clay crafts, food, dances, songs dialects, etc.
ACCOMMODATION: In a house in the vicinity of the site.
LOCATION: Xochicalco is located half an hour from the city of Cuernavaca.
NEAREST STATION: Cuernavaca.
FOOD: Meals will be prepared by volunteers. It has everything you need to cook and care for the food.
LANGUAGE: Speaking Spanish will be welcome in order to get in touch with the Mexican people.
REQUIREMENTS: Good team work attitude, dedication, responsibility and enthusiasm to work. Bring clothes according with the activities. Please bring your own insurance and sleeping bag.
FREE TIME: The volunteer will have the opportunity to visit nearby places and villages where there is a lot of traditions and customs. Walks with local young people, excursions will also be part of the free time program.
REMARK: You can take the Intensive Spanish Course that we offer to the volunteers in our camps before to go to your camp. See the information and conditions at the section of the Spanish Courses 2013.
The meeting point will be at the VIMEX office before the camp starts because all the volunteers will go together to the project.