Women textile artisans and men dyers from Pinotepa de Don Luis have begun community work with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Fundación Banorte and the Oaxaca State Ministry of Economic Development (SEDECO), as part of a project aimed at safeguarding the community’s living and biocultural heritage and at generating alternatives for its social and economic development.
This effort builds on the vision of the Primavera Oaxaqueña (Oaxacan Spring) to promote development rooted in identity, one that recognizes the knowledge of communities and creates opportunities from within their own territories. The State Government, through SEDECO, supports processes that seek to ensure that Oaxaca’s cultural and biocultural heritage also translates into well-being for those who keep it alive.
Activities began at the Casa del Pueblo (community hall) of Pinotepa de Don Luis, with the participation of more than 30 artisans, who discussed topics such as the value of their community work, shared responsibility between dyers and weavers, and the relationship between the community, institutions, and the various actors that make up the value chains of the cultural and creative sector.
During the session, participants learned about concepts related to intangible cultural heritage and the UNESCO Convention on this subject. They also worked with tools designed to help them recognize and exercise their cultural and collective rights, as well as to foster shared responsibility within families and the community.
