Visit to Chiapas

Greetings everyone!

I have just returned from four days visiting Chiapas with 59 other Ambassadors from Mexico City.

The trip was quite a whirlwind, involving visits to farms, archaeological sites, a ground breaking rural development, an eco park, the spectacular Canyon de Sumidero, the Mayan Christian church of San Juan Chamulla and much else besides....

My chief impression is one of extraordinary diversity, of peoples, history, issues, species and even climate. I experienced some of the hottest weather I have ever known at the organic Tomato farm in Nuevo Juan del Grijalva last Friday. By Sunday I needed to buy a woollen shawl in the Museum Na Bolom to stop my teeth chattering.

The same was true in the countryside. We saw pictures of remote and under-developed communities. We also saw an ambitious project with 400+ new houses, hospitals, schools and shops for indigenous people persuaded to leave their native villages. A bold venture whose sustainability is still uncertain but an experiment it makes sense to try.

Sustainability of resources is key.  As the state that provides more than half of Mexico's hydro electric power, water is critical in Chiapas. But the several new dams have environmental consequences as we saw at first hand with serious rubbish accumulation in the Sumidero Canyon.

The Embassy's Climate Change Project with Chiapas (to draw up a State Action Plan) was publicly applauded, including by the Governor.  Mapping the ongoing environment risks and their costs was seen as timely and our help as extremely welcome.

So a rich and varied programme. Superb hospitality and clear and active engagement by the Governor and his staff. The latter told me his priority was to reduce poverty in Chiapas and promote the region as a tourist destination. The comparative security of the region is clearly an advantage for both.  

My personal highlight was probably praying for peace in San Juan Chamulla alongside the Governor and the Mayan elders!  A very jolly picture of me with a  group of children sporting a Union Jack also led the front page coverage of the main Chiapas daily on Day 2.

Judith

Photo: Courtesy of ChiapasHoy.com