Bogotá initiates project to preserve traditional market trades

The Instituto Distrital de Patrimonio Cultural (IDPC) is conducting an inventory to document and preserve the traditional trades and oral histories within Bogotá’s 18 district markets. The initiative, which runs through October 2026, aims to safeguard the cultural memory and artisanal knowledge passed down through generations.

So far, the project has engaged over 1,500 participants, including merchants, traditional cooks, herbalists, and community leaders. The identified trades are categorized into five groups: food preparation and transformation, food commerce and supply, artisanal production, traditional health and wellness knowledge, and community services. This effort seeks to understand how these practices are maintained and transmitted amidst modern urban challenges.