Our Goals

To promote the responsible and sustainable development of the city and county of San Miguel de Allende preserving, protecting and defending its cultural heritage as well as its natural assets and environment of potentially problematic acts from governmental as well as private parties. We understand Cultural Heritage as the tangible and intangible elements of SMA, including its buildings, architecture and monuments, historical, artistic, scientific and archeological sites, as well as its customs, habits, traditions and the spirit that enliven and identify it.

To make sure that private parties and governmental authorities abide by the recommendations of the International Council of Monuments and Sites, ICOMOS, to the municipal authorities which are spelled out on the inscription of the Villa Protectora de San Miguel el Grande y del Santuario de Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco on the World Heritage of Humanity list.

Message from PSMA’s President

PSMA’s Charter

Focus

To achieve the above goals PSMA will resort to all legal, scientific, technical and financial resources available and will collaborate with all entities, both national and international, necessary and will focus on the following:

Protect the Historic Center

The tangible and intangible heritage of SMA is concentrated in the Historic Center which is also the hub of its social activity and as such the pillar of San Miguel´s economy. Therefore we will always be focused to preserve and protect the integrity and authenticity of the Historical Center as well as its historical legacy while retaining its social and cultural dynamics.
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Community Participation

We will stimulate community participation in the protection of San Miguel´s cultural heritage and we will familiarize the different sectors of society, citizens and civic organizations with the activities and projects of PSMA. This requires an awareness of the value of this legacy, of the laws that protect it, of citizen´s rights and of the obligations of the authorities. PSMA will strive to gather and spread such information to all sectors of society, national as well as international, through meetings, conferences, workshops, seminaries and any other suitable activities.

Relations with the Authorities

We will voice our opinions and present our positions in a proper, factual manner and we will seek to collaborate in matters of preservation and protection of the cultural heritage. Any inconformity will be based on federal and local laws as well as international treaties and conventions. Constructive proposals rather than protests are our preferred means of action.

We are a non-profit organization aiming to preserve, protect and defend the cultural heritage of San Miguel de Allende and to promote the responsible and sustainable development in San Miguel de Allende.

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What PSMA Does

  • Deals directly with the concerned authorities to undertake the necessary actions for the protection and preservation of San Miguel´s cultural heritage and to exercise its rights before administrative and judicial authorities.
  • Promotes and spreads the knowledge and respect for our cultural heritage through conferences, seminaries, publications using all available means of communication.
  • Encourages and enables the active participation of civil society in the decisions, formulation, review and modification of government plans and programs by making it aware of citizen rights and the duties of authorities.
  • Makes proposals to authorities, and if necessary demand compliance with the law, for the drafting or modification of programs and zoning laws with the participation of citizens.
  • Requests from authorities the building applications as well as those for new businesses and for changes in zoning laws in San Miguel de Allende. If information is denied it will initiate all pertinent actions to assert its right to public information.
  • Actively opposes, by making use of all available means, including our citizen rights, against authorities in their different jurisdictions, all permit requests that may negatively affect San Miguel´s cultural heritage.
  • Based on our citizen rights to public information, provide advice and demand compliance with existing laws, rules and regulations when drafting and modifying government plans and programs and making changes of zoning laws in the county.
  • To promote and create organizations, panels and committees for investigation, surveillance and follow up related to acts of authority, laws and regulations whose compliance would conflict with current laws, rules and regulations directly or indirectly that protect the cultural heritage or that otherwise would defeat the objectives of the Association.
  • To be involved and assist municipal, state and federal authorities in drafting and changing laws, regulations, government plans and zoning rules and urban development programs to achieve the desired sustainable growth and the conservation of our cultural heritage.
  • We will link up with and form alliances with non-profits in other states or countries with which we share objectives and we will support and encourage the creation of other similar non-profit associations and their legitimate initiatives and petitions to authorities for the preservation of the cultural heritage.
  • To demand that municipal authorities follow and implement the recommendations from UNESCO issued through ICOMOS and contained in the inscription of San Miguel de Allende as a World Heritage Site.
  • Present and follow up, according to applicable laws, claims and objections that lie within the scope of our objectives.
  • We will attempt through all necessary actions and initiatives to reform laws and correct the acts of authorities, based on those laws, that negatively affect the cultural heritage.
  • Any other action contemplated in our charter.

Help Us

Volunteering

The Preservation Society of San Miguel de Allende is a non-profit organization — and as such depends heavily on volunteers to take part in the work. Thus we welcome volunteers. Some of the areas in which you could contribute include: newsletter, events, website maintenance, translations, marketing, fund-raising, office work

Memberships

Memberships offer varios benefits. More details when you follow the link below.

Donations

Donations in any amount to support the efforts of Preservación de San Miguel Allende are welcome. We are a non-profit organization and appreciate your help.

Sponsorships

Support from corporate donors is an important source of funds for our organization and we welcome your tax deductible annual contributions to our cause. We do believe that the preservation of San Miguel de Allende´s cultural heritage is in the interest of corporate citizens.

Endowments

An endowment is the donation of any kind of personal property of value to a nonprofit organization for the ongoing support of that organization. Forms of donations include: cash, houses and other real estate such as businesses, stocks, bonds, life insurance and bequests from wills. These donations can be activated while alive or upon your passing and can be set up in accordance with US and Canadian tax codes.

 

Funds

In order for PSMA to be able to accomplish its mission in the various areas mentioned above it has to obtain the necessary funding. In this connection it must be stressed that members of PSMA are not paid for their work for the Association.

General Fund

PSMA will always operate with the utmost austerity and has been able to obtain donated professional services. But there are unavoidable operating expenses and for PSAMA to be able to succeed it has to obtain funding to cover those expenses.

Legal Fund

To be in a position to initiate and sustain legal actions when laws are broken in detriment to San Miguel´s preservation, we need to create a fund to be prepared for such eventualities. Having such a fund may in itself increase the probability of success as well as the credibility for the work of PSMA.

Contact

If you have any questions please email info@preservaciondesanmigueldeallende.org or use the form below. Thank you.

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