Santa Marta, the Colombian city which has just recently celebrated its first 500 years, is adorning itself today to host the IV Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union.
The meeting, which will take place at the Santamar Convention Centre on the coming 9th and 10th, will bring together delegations from 62 countries of both blocs with the objective of strengthening cooperation, promoting sanitary self-sufficiency and food security, driving sustainable development and advancing in the triple transition (energy, digital and environmental).
The selection as host of the northern city, whose nickname is the Pearl of America, was not fortuitous.
The country’s president, Gustavo Petro, considers it an emblem of liberty for being a region with a profound historical significance for the rest of the continent and where Simón Bolívar lived his final days.
The leader described Santa Marta «as the heart of the world», meaning he values that city as a vital centre of diversity, natural wealth, humanity and history, and a place of spiritual and cultural symbolism for the country and the entire planet.
Santa Marta, famous for its paradisiacal beaches, harbours one of the most relevant natural attractions of Colombia.
The Sierra Nevada is the highest coastal mountain range in the world and has the second highest snow-capped peak near the coast: the Simón Bolívar, at five thousand 775 metres above sea level.
In this zone lives a very important reserve of fauna and flora, as well as indigenous groups descended from the Tayrona culture, among which are the Arhuacos, Koguis, Kankuamos and Malayos.
The Sierra was declared a National Natural Park of Colombia in 1964 and, later, a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1979.
Near Santa Marta are also found iconic sites of the New Granada country.
Nearby are the Tayrona National Natural Park, the Lost City, El Rodadero, Taganga and Minca.
About 100 kilometres to the south is Aracataca, the birthplace of Gabriel García Márquez, where everything evokes the mythical site where the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude takes place.
It is precisely that atmosphere which Colombia chose to celebrate the IV Summit of CELAC and the European Union.
According to the host country, it is expected that during the meeting agreements will be reached that contribute to the consolidation of multilateralism, effective cooperation and the creation of a bi-regional roadmap, with concrete projects in themes such as renewable energy, inclusive digitalisation, protection of ecosystems, health innovation, agroecology, biotechnology and human mobility.
