MEXICO CITY.- UNESCO has concluded that there are currently no grounds to consider placing the Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul on the List of World Heritage in Danger, following an assessment of the impact of Mexico's Maya Train project on the internationally recognized site.

The finding is contained in a report from a Reactive Monitoring Mission delivered by UNESCO's World Heritage Centre to Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp).

Located in the state of Campeche, Calakmul is one of the most significant Maya archaeological sites in Mexico and forms part of an extensive tropical forest ecosystem. The property is recognized by UNESCO for both its cultural and natural importance.

The report follows concerns surrounding infrastructure associated with the Maya Train, a major rail project crossing southeastern Mexico and the Yucat�n Peninsula. According to INAH, UNESCO's assessment confirms that Mexican authorities complied with the requirements established by the World Heritage Committee and that the information provided does not support consideration of Calakmul for inclusion on the endangered heritage list.

The report acknowledges a Heritage Impact Assessment conducted in connection with the Maya Train project and coordinated by INAH's World Heritage Directorate in 2021.

UNESCO noted that the assessment introduced methodological elements that could serve as a reference for future evaluations of major projects affecting cultural heritage. The report also recognized archaeological research, documentation, cataloguing and recovery carried out in the area.

At the same time, it emphasized that the relocation of pre-Hispanic archaeological remains should be considered only under exceptional circumstances.

The mission called for continued monitoring of both the Calakmul archaeological zone and the surrounding biosphere reserve and recommended sustained conservation programs for some of the site's most fragile artistic remains.

Among them are the mural paintings in the Chiik Nahb complex, an important group of Maya paintings known for scenes of courtly and everyday life, as well as paintings in Group A of the site's North Acropolis.

UNESCO also recommended closer cooperation between INAH and Conanp to ensure the long-term conservation of the ancient city and its natural surroundings.

Another priority identified in the report is greater participation by Indigenous peoples and neighboring communities in decisions concerning management and preservation of the World Heritage property.

The document further calls for strengthening the site's joint Management Plan and raises the possibility of expanding the World Heritage property to incorporate the Mirador Archaeological Zone in neighboring Guatemala, potentially linking major Maya cultural landscapes across the international border.

INAH said the conclusion regarding the endangered heritage list followed extensive documentation supplied by its Campeche regional center and World Heritage Directorate in collaboration with Conanp.

Between 2022 and 2026, INAH submitted six reports to UNESCO detailing the state of conservation of Calakmul.

The institute has also continued conservation work on archaeological structures open to visitors while using LiDAR technology to examine the site's core and surrounding areas. The remote-sensing technology has become an important tool for understanding the scale and organization of ancient Maya settlements beneath dense tropical vegetation.

Other projects have focused on preserving the paintings of the Chiik Nahb complex, conserving a major stucco frieze and studying early writing and iconography discovered in Substructure IIC.

INAH has also established two site museums intended to provide visitors with a broader interpretation of Calakmul's archaeological, historical and cultural significance.

The UNESCO report does not bring oversight of the site to an end. Instead, its recommendations call for continued monitoring, conservation and coordination as development and increased accessibility reshape the region surrounding one of the most important surviving landscapes of the ancient Maya world.