During his visit to Mexico from April 25 to 28 as part of several activities carried out by the city of Oaxaca, the Secretary General of the OWHC met with the mayor of the city of Morelia, Mr. Alfonso Jesús Martínez Alcázar, in order to formalize the creation of the Regional Secretariat of Central America, Caribbean and Mexico.

Indeed, a request was sent by the Association of World Heritage Mexican Cities and the city of Morelia to the OWHC Board of Directors, in order to create this new secretariat. At its last meeting in Istanbul, the members of the Board of Directors accepted the request of the Mexicans. Therefore, it is with joy that we announce to you that an 8^th Regional Secretariat of the OWHC opens its doors in the city of Morelia. We thank the mayor Martínez Alcázar for its generous offer to create and host the headquarters of this new secretariat.

Thereby, we have the honor to introduce to you our new Regional Coordinator; Mr. Juan Carlos Mata García, World Heritage Director of the city of Morelia and now Regional Coordinator.

Please note that due to this change, the Regional Secretariat for Latin America and the Caribbean will be called from now on the Regional Secretariat for South America and will cover the territory corresponding to that part of the continent.