On October 8 and 9, HERITΛGE held the in-person Oral History and Heritage workshop at the Museo Estatal de Culturas Populares de Nuevo León. The workshop – part of our HerMaP Mexico initiative – provided a space for learning and exchange focused on the use of oral history to document, preserve, and transmit cultural heritage and community memory. The program combined methodological tools, ethical considerations, and practical exercises applied to heritage projects.

The workshop brought together a group of eight participants working with Indigenous communities and cultural heritage projects, bringing diverse experiences and perspectives and representing at least five Indigenous peoples residing in Nuevo León. This exchange provided an opportunity to reflect on oral history not only as a documentation methodology, but also as a tool for strengthening the transmission of memories, knowledge, and living cultural practices.

We were joined by guest facilitator Dr. Claudia Uribe Chinen, a Peruvian archaeologist specializing in heritage studies, public archaeology, heritage ethics, and community participation, HERITΛGE exalumna. Claudia also presented a case study from Peru, bringing an international perspective to the workshop and creating connections with the experiences shared by participants in Mexico.

We were also joined by Diana Laura Lozano Linares and David Maldonado Pérez, members of CEMPO in Ciudad Juárez, who had previously participated in HERITΛGE’s in-person Oral History and Heritage workshop in Chihuahua in March 2026. In Monterrey, they shared their experience working with Indigenous peoples residing in Ciudad Juárez during a conversation focused on resident and migrant Indigenous communities in Chihuahua, bringing an important border perspective to the dialogue around memory, identity, and living heritage.

The quality of the work presented and the potential of the initiatives led by this group highlighted the opportunities to continue developing oral history projects from and with communities themselves, while strengthening networks among those working to safeguard living heritage across northern Mexico.

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HERITΛGE successfully delivered a second Oral History Workshop in Mexico, further advancing the implementation of the HerMaP Mexico initiative. The workshop took place from March 11–13, 2026 in Saltillo, Coahuila, bringing together 17 participants interested in strengthening their skills in working with memory and cultural heritage.

Hosted in the capital city of Coahuila, the workshop was made possible through the collaboration of three key institutions dedicated to the preservation of memory: the General Archive of the State of Coahuila, the Municipal Archive of Saltillo, and the Archive for Memory of Universidad Iberoamericana.

The training focused on oral history as a tool for documenting collective memory and intangible cultural heritage, equipping participants with both conceptual understanding and practical methodologies. It was led by Dr. Eleni Stefanou and Denise Navarro. 

Participants explored:

• The relationship between oral history, memory, and heritage
• The design and implementation of interviews
• Ethical considerations in working with testimonies
• The application of oral history in cultural heritage projects

The group brought together individuals from diverse backgrounds, including cultural practitioners, researchers, and professionals engaged in heritage-related initiatives.

The workshop reflects the strong collaborative framework that underpins HerMaP Mexico, which works in close partnership with local institutions to ensure that training activities are grounded in local realities and needs.

HERITΛGE extends its sincere thanks to the host institutions for opening their spaces and supporting this initiative, as well as to the Ministry of Culture of the State of Coahuila for its valuable role in promoting and facilitating the workshop.

We also recognize the commitment and active participation of all attendees, whose willingness to share experiences enriched the learning environment.

This workshop is part of a broader series of training activities under HerMaP Mexico, aimed at strengthening cultural heritage management across Mexico’s northern border states.

By creating spaces for learning, exchange, and collaboration, HERITΛGE continues to support local actors in documenting, preserving, and activating cultural heritage as a resource for community identity and sustainable development.

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The first HerMaP Mexico training workshop for heritage managers has been successfully completed. The Oral History Workshop took place in person from March 4–6 in Julimes, Chihuahua. The initiative’s first in-person workshop brought together 23 participants from 12 municipalities across the state of Chihuahua, including 11 women. Participants also represented four Indigenous groups, including migrants from other Mexican states. The group included community promoters, cultural practitioners, researchers, and heritage professionals working on local heritage initiatives.

The workshop was led by Denise Navarro, Mexico Programs Manager at HERITΛGE.

The training focused on how to document community memories and intangible cultural heritage through oral history. Participants were introduced to key conceptual and methodological tools, including how to design interview guides, ethical considerations in the use of testimonies, and the practical application of oral history in cultural heritage projects.

Through this workshop, participants strengthened their capacity to document community knowledge, lived experiences, and cultural practices, contributing to the preservation of local heritage and collective memory.

This workshop marks the first training activity of the HerMaP Mexico initiative, which aims to strengthen cultural heritage management in Mexico’s northern border states. The program works with local actors through training, sector mapping, networking, and grants for community-led heritage projects.

The HERITΛGE team would like to thank Centro INAH Chihuahua and Secretaría de Cultura de Chihuahua  for helping organize the workshop and the Municipality of Julimes for hosting us in its facilities.

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