3rd Regional Meeting and Workshop: “Latin America Towards the New Urban Project”

From 26 to 28 November, the city of Cuenca hosted the 3rd Regional Meeting and Workshop “Latin America Towards the New Urban Project”, which provided a collaborative working space to address one of the region’s most important topics: housing and the residential function of historic centres.

The meeting brought together representatives from Puebla, Morelia, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Mexico City, Colonia del Sacramento, and Havana, as well as a strong technical team from various Cuenca municipal departments. The event also coincided with the anniversary of Cuenca’s inscription on the World Heritage List, lending the gathering special symbolic significance.

The program began on 26 November with a concert from the Morelia International Organ Festival, held in the magnificent Old Cathedral, which highlighted the value of heritage as a cultural and urban meeting point.

Debate, analysis, and collective work

On 27 November, the delegations participated in the opening session and the “Cuenca, World Heritage: habitability inspiring the urban future” panel, featuring local experts and Mayor Cristian Zamora Matute. Together, they provided a strong conceptual foundation for the working sessions.

The cities then worked in three thematic groups — irregular interventions, abandoned buildings, and governance and security of tenure — following the OWHC methodology to produce statements, courses of action, and viable solutions. The day also included a thematic tour of the historic centre, during which participants observed the challenges, initiatives, and strategies that Cuenca has implemented to strengthen habitability.

From reflection to regional commitments

On 28 November, the teams presented their results in public sessions. The meeting concluded with the Regional Assembly and the presentation of the Cuenca Charter, which was read by Vice Mayor Marisol Peñaloza Bacuilima. This document summarizes the vision and commitments made by Latin American cities to strengthen the residential function in their cities, consolidate habitability as a core focus for managing their historic centers, and implement the New Urban Project (NUP) in their cities.

A renewed momentum for the New Urban Project

The work carried out in Cuenca emphasised the importance of incorporating the Latin American perspective into the development of the NUP by contributing unique regional experiences, challenges, and solutions.

The meeting reaffirmed the OWHC’s role as a platform for international cooperation, supporting cities in the sustainable regeneration of historic centres and the creation of more liveable, resilient, and inclusive urban environments.