MEXICO CITY: The Philippines and Mexico are working together for the nomination of the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade route to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Filipino and Mexican experts on the galleon trade will be invited to an international meeting to decide possible sites for inclusion in the nomination.
Last April 23, a roundtable meeting was held at the University of Santo Tomas where trade route experts discussed preparations for the nomination. Among the experts were scholars with expertise touching on the topics of history, shipyards, underwater archaeology and maps and cartography.
A series of meetings will also be convened for the launch of the galleon trade route as a possible nominee before the international community, expected to be held mid-year.
For 250 years from from the mid-16th century to the early 19th century, the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade was among the main commercial routes during early trade between East and West.
The route put Manila on the world map as one of the largest trade hubs in South East Asia and contributed to the development of trade in Asia, Europe and the Americas.
The UNESCO is an international organization that seeks to solidify bonds between nations through building intercultural understanding with World Heritage Sites.