2013: An environmental concern that became sustainable in Oaxaca (Mexico)

In 2013, the XII World Congress of the Organization of World Heritage Cities returned to Latin America and Oaxaca de Juárez in Mexico. More than 1000 participants from 78 cities in 40 different countries attended conferences on the theme Heritage Cities, Sustainable Cities. During the four days of the congress, four OWHC member cities presented their achievements in sustainable development thanks to the On the Way to Oaxaca workshop initiated by the OWHC between 2012 and 2013 to discover best cities practices among its members.

The XII Congress ended with the election of the Board of Directors for 2013-2015 with its presidency in the city of Sintra (Portugal) and vice-presidencies in the cities of Lyon (France); Brussels (Belgium); Puebla (Mexico); Safranbolu (Turkey); Quebec (Canada); Warsow (Poland) and Valparaiso (Chile), and the election of the next host city of the world congress in 2015, Arequipa (Peru).