As the first step in initiating the GCI's new Maya project, an international meeting was convened at the Getty Center on August 26-28, 1997. Participating in the gathering were cultural heritage officials from the five countries in the Maya cultural region, as well as representatives of national and international financial organizations and the region's tourism organization.

At the meeting, the invited participants shared their professional concerns regarding the Maya region, and Institute staff presented ideas for collaboration. The objective of the meeting was to reach a consensus on how to proceed with joint regional projects. At the meeting's conclusion, the participants signed a document committing the parties, including the GCI, to work together on the development of a regional management plan and on projects designed to address common conservation problems.

Participants at the meeting included:

Dra. María Teresa Franco, Directora General, INAH, Mexico

Lic. Luciano Cedillo, Coordinador Nacional del Restauración, INAH, Mexico

Prof. Miguel Angel Fernández, Coordinador Nacional de Museos y Exposiciones, INAH, Mexico

Dr. John Morris, Archaeological Commissioner, Department of Archaeology, Belize

Dr. Roberto Galicia, Presidente, Concultura, El Salvador

Arq. María Isaura Aráuz, Directora Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural, Concultura, El Salvador

Dra. Olga Joya, Gerente, IHAH, Honduras

Dr. Carlos Enrique Zea Flores, Vice Ministro de Cultura y Deportes, Guatemala

Arq. Raúl Eduardo Noriega Girón, Guatemala

Lic. Luz María Lomelí, Secretaria Ejecutiva, Mundo Maya, Mexico

Dr. Shelton Davis, Principal Sociologist, Indigenous Issues, The World Bank

Ms. Krezentia Duer, Principal Operations Officer, The World Bank

Mr. Estuardo Cuestas Morales, Presidente, Fundacion G & T, Guatemala

Lic. Fernando Peón Escalante, Director General, Fomento Social Banamex, Mexico

Ing. Jairo Sánchez, Representative, Banco InterAmericano de Desarrollo, Mexico