The Peace Park Initiative
On the long-disputed border between Belize and Guatemala, an ancient causeway links El Pilar's Maya monuments on either side. The discovery of the causeway in 1993 led to a call for the world's first archaeological peace park, a symbol of collaboration across political, economic, and cultural boundaries. Today, both countries see the potential of El Pilar to build confidence and common ground.
El Pilar
- Registered as a site in Belize (1983) and Guatemala (1995)
- Declared a protected area in Belize (1995) and Guatemala (1997)
- Delimited contiguous boundaries in Belize (1995) and Guatemala (1997)
- Endorsed parallel management plans in Belize (2006) and Guatemala (2004)
- Bilateral agreement to promote the El Pilar Peace Park Initiative (2008)
Call for a Peace Park
A meeting on the binational peace park with key players from Belize and Guatemala, May 2008.
Because El Pilar occupies both sides of the border, ESP~Maya has promoted joint management of this valuable resource. The proposed El Pilar Peace Park would unite the planning processes, linking Belize and Guatemala to on-the-ground actions. This is "Archeology Without Borders." It would link:
- agencies
- experts
- communities