Cartagena's Independence Fiestas management plan sparks cultural heritage concerns

Cartagena's District Mayor's Office has proposed establishing a new entity to oversee the city's crucial November 11 Independence Day celebrations, igniting a significant debate between the administration and local cultural sectors. Critics warn the move could lead to the commercialization of the city's most important intangible heritage.

The proposal, discussed in a public hearing at the District Council, aims to create a decentralized, non-profit, public or mixed-entity linked to the Tourism Secretariat. This organization would possess administrative, financial, and budgetary autonomy. Its mandate would encompass the comprehensive planning of the Independence Fiestas and coordinating other significant cultural, tourist, and artistic events.

While the District administration argues the initiative will strengthen festival management, ensure consistent funding, and improve organization, cultural researchers, managers, and citizen representatives have raised alarms. Their concerns focus on governance structures, financial mechanisms, and the safeguarding of the celebration's heritage values. A key point of contention is the potential lack of clear articulation with the Special Safeguard Plan (PES), the instrument designed to protect this declared intangible cultural manifestation.

Cultural managers are urging a thorough review of the project before its final approval. They are particularly wary of the entity's potential to manage the economic exploitation of public spaces during festivities, with revenues intended for reinvestment in the events. The proposed board of directors would include the mayor, representatives from various secretariats, the Institute of Heritage and Culture of Cartagena (IPCC), and Corpoturismo, alongside other members to be defined in the statutes. The sector fears this structure could sideline traditional cultural management and prioritize commercial interests over heritage preservation.