2024: A year full of parties for the INAH

2024 is a year of deep pride and satisfaction for the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico (INAH) as we celebrate important anniversaries in the history of the Institute and our country. The INAH is undoubtedly a vital institution for the formation of national identity and the specific identities of the ethnic, linguistic, regional and community groups that form the plurality of our nation.

This year we celebrate the 85th anniversary of the INAH, the great institution of the Mexican State since 1939, dedicated to the study, conservation, protection and promotion of the social enjoyment of Mexico’s inexhaustible cultural heritage. During these eight and a half decades, INAH has been a pillar in the construction of the idea of ​​who we were and are, thanks to the thousands of women and men who have dedicated their lives to these tasks related to our cultural heritage.

INAH was founded during the Cardenista period, when the country was realizing the enormous social reforms brought about by the Mexican Revolution. Eighty-five years later, after three decades of overwhelming neoliberal counter-reforms, INAH is in a period of transformation that began with the electoral shift on July 1, 2018. This shift marked a mandate to fight corruption, reduce inequality, promote justice and social welfare, and address the historical debt to indigenous peoples, Afro-descendant groups, and disadvantaged social sectors.

The uprising of the Zapatista National Liberation Army in 1994 marked the declaration that there would “never again be a Mexico without indigenous peoples.” This was a determination to give voice to the voiceless, to incorporate cultural differences into a new national project, and to reverse the social inequalities that were tearing the country apart.

We need to develop a comprehensive vision of heritage, convinced that it is not just about monuments and cultural assets, but about focusing on the communities and people who produced them. Therefore, their protection requires the participation of all Mexicans.

The 68 ethnolinguistic groups and the thousands of communities in Mexico that maintain their forms of social organization, language, traditions and cultural characteristics have strengthened their presence in the recovery of their territories, social demands and cultural rights. The Government of Mexico has addressed their resistance, which goes back centuries, with sensitivity and responsibility through the implementation of justice plans that involve the involvement of institutions such as the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples, the Ministry of Culture and the INAH.

Our current cultural greatness is as great as our ancient heritage. In this regard, the task of the INAH can be measured by the more than 58,000 registered archaeological sites, the 63 historical monument zones with declarations and the more than 110,000 catalogued historical monuments throughout the country. The managed infrastructure includes 193 archaeological zones, one paleontological zone and 162 museums that receive more than 30 million visitors annually. In the same way, the INAH monitors 35 sites that are on the UNESCO World Heritage List and prepares files for new inscriptions.

One area of ​​action that makes us proud is the recovery of cultural goods that were illegally removed from the country. To date, more than 15,000 objects have been recovered under the motto “My Heritage is Not for Sale”. This has been possible thanks to the collaboration of the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs, the Historical and Cultural Memory of Mexico program, Interpol and the governments of sister countries.

Another important area of ​​action was the focus on cultural heritage affected by the 2017 earthquakes, which damaged more than 3,000 historical monuments in 11 states. Thanks to the coordination of the Ministry of Culture and the cooperation of state governments committed to the cause, we will complete this monumental task this year.

In 2024 we will also celebrate other notable anniversaries in the history of INAH and Mexico, such as the 80th anniversary of the National History Museum, Chapultepec Castle, the 80th anniversary of the discovery of the archaeological site of Tlatelolco, the 65th anniversary of the Directorate of Historical Studies and the 60th anniversary of the National Anthropological Museum and the National Museum of the Viceroyalty.

In addition, this year it celebrates the 35th anniversary of the International Book Fair of Anthropology and History (FILAH), an event that since 1989 has developed into the most important forum in Latin America for editorial dissemination and critical reflection on historical, anthropological and related disciplines within the field of INAH.

This literary celebration is one of the most valuable places to bring the public closer to research related to the fields of action of INAH and other sister institutions. This year, Belize and the State of Quintana Roo are our guests of honor and we are preparing an extensive program under the theme “Cultural Heritage and Sustainability”.

Year after year, FILAH gains strength and vitality, as the space where the institutional work concretizes its social link. In this celebration, the academic rigor of the Institute materializes through books, magazines and other audiovisual expressions.

Through dissemination actions such as editorial presentations, colloquia, seminars, symposia, keynote lectures and workshops, the broad work of INAH achieves its goal: to contribute to the knowledge of our roots, to increase knowledge of the wisdom, customs and traditions of our ancestors and to promote the recognition of ourselves as part of a rich cultural tapestry.

Today, FILAH is a valued and awaited forum for researchers, teachers, disseminators, students and the general public. They find there a breeding ground for knowledge on culture, anthropology and history and a melting pot of subjects related to the study of humanity and its evolution.

This underscores why FILAH represents an effort that we strive to continue and is a source of pride for those of us who work at INAH. This institution has reached its first 85 years with the conviction of its high value and commitment to the people of Mexico and its transformations in the search for a more equal, fraternal society with greater well-being for all.

Long live our National Institute of Anthropology and History!