GUADALAJARA, MEXICO.- The city of Santiago (Chile) ended its term as American Capital of Culture 2004. From Saturday 1 January, Guadalajara (Mexico) is the new American Capital of Culture 2005. The American Capital of Culture initiative was born in 1997 and is aimed to the countries of the Americas. It has three major objectives: 1) to be an instrument of Inter-American integration in the cultural sphere; 2) to contribute to the peoples of the American continent knowing each other better, respecting its national and regional diversity, as well as highlighting their shared cultural heritage; 3) to promote the cities nominated as the American Capital of Culture in the American hemisphere and in the rest of the world, at the same time as building new bridges of cooperation with the other continents which have established cultural capitals.

Since then, the following cities have been designated as American Capital of Culture: Merida (Mexico) in 2000; Iquique (Chile) in 2001; Maceio (Brazil), in 2002; Curitiba (Brazil) and Panama, in 2003 and Santiago de Chile, in 2004. Guadalajara was relocated four times. The first was in 1535 and the fourth and final time in 1542. This city was the capital of New Galicia, whose domain extended as far as what is now San Francisco, California. Guadalajara became the capital of Jalisco State on May 27, 1824. On 14 February 1542, the first town hall of the present-day city of Guadalajara was built, and the title of city and the coat of arms were granted that still represent Guadalajara today. The capital of Jalisco State (population 7 million) is the second-largest city in the Mexican Republic. It covers 182 km2 and has a population of approximately two million, rising to four million when the metropolitan area is included.

In Guadalajara, a city that has a large number of universities with an international reputation as well as many cultural institutions, the International Book Fair has been held for the last 18 years. From the tourism viewpoint, Guadalajara is known throughout the world for its tradition of hospitality, for its extensive range of cultural and leisure activities, its varied and delicious cuisine, and above all, its people. Its historic centre contains magnificent buildings like the Cabañas Cultural Institute, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the Degollado Theatre, the Regional Museum, the City Museum, the Government Palace, the Cruz de Plazas and the Cathedral with its towers shaped like inverted cones, the most famous symbol of Guadalajara.