Mexico Becomes Global Host of the American Firefighters Assembly

For the first time, Mexico will host the General Assembly of the Organization of American Firefighters (OBA), to be held from September 9 to 12 in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, with the participation of fire department representatives from more than 30 countries.

Mexico’s Minister of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, indicated that this international gathering positions the country as the host of a space for cooperation and institutional strengthening.

“Events like this not only strengthen the invaluable work of firefighters, they also create opportunities for development, economic growth, and well-being in host communities,” she emphasized.

The Assembly will include technical meetings, networking activities, and working sessions aimed at strengthening firefighting institutions across the country and promoting international cooperation. The OBA has confirmed the attendance of 239 participants from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, the United States, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay, and Switzerland.

Rodríguez Zamora also emphasized that the firefighters’ assembly reaffirms the importance of meeting tourism as a driver of shared prosperity and acknowledged the support of Chiapas Secretary of Tourism, María Eugenia Culebro Pérez, in organizing the event.

Culebro Pérez stressed that the Assembly will play a key role in boosting tourism activity in the state.

“We can have the best advertising on the world’s biggest screens, but nothing compares to word of mouth. We want every visitor to take home the experience of our community-based tourism, which creates well-being and ensures that every place visited receives significant economic benefits,” she said.

She also announced that Chiapas is preparing to host several sporting events as part of the National Sports Tourism Policy presented by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

At the official announcement, Commander Marco Antonio Sánchez Guerrero, Director General of the Firefighters Institute, and representatives of the IFRA Foundation of Scotland (United Kingdom), Gary Johnston and David Kay, were present.

They reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to international cooperation and announced that specialized materials will be provided during the Assembly to strengthen firefighting capacities.

With this event, Chiapas consolidates the state as a strategic destination for international conferences, while Mexico positions itself as a global reference in firefighter cooperation.