17:46 | Trujillo, Jul. 01.
Journalists Ruth Wolter and Astrid Piethan left Germany to visit Chan Chan citadel in Trujillo, Peru and document the story of Maria Mercedes, an employee at the archaeological site.
They were commissioned by Unesco to follow the story of Maria Mercedes Mendoza Chavarria for its inclusion in the “Heritage Heroes” project.
“We have read an article about her; we know she is quite involved in her work. 'La Morochita' (as she is best known) is part of what we call world heritage heroes, and due to the fact that Chan Chan is a very important site and that she’s worked here for many years, we are highly interested in her, because people like her is what we need to preserve the World Heritage,” Wolter affirmed.
The story of Maria Mendoza, 60, was published in magazines and in the journals of the Chan Chan Archaeological Complex Special Project, as well as in printed and digital media.
Her work as conservationist raised the interest to include her story in the international tribute paid to men and women who help preserve the World Heritage.
An exhibition will be presented at the Unesco headquarters in Bonn, as part of a June session of the international World Heritage Committee. The event will include heroes from around the world and, in fact, she will be the only one from Latin America, Wolter said.
Among the 10 chosen individuals is a Belgian prince who preserves the natural heritage in Congo, an Australian documentary maker who spreads world heritage-related videos and a Peruvian woman who works to preserve the Chan Chan archaeological complex.
Maria is the only woman in Latin America regarded as World Heritage Hero.
(END) NDP/MA/RMB/MVB
Published: 7/1/2015