The World Meeting of Blue Zones began in Nicoya this Thursday with the arrival of representatives of different areas. Nicoya’s Peninsula is the largest blue zone in the world, where there are dozens of senior citizens over 90 years old. The activity will run until November 18th and will be held in addition to cultural activities and scientific forums where issues related to aging will be addressed.
On Thursday there were two videoconferences, called “Statistical evidence of longevity in Nicoya, Costa Rica and The origin of the blue areas,” both with the participation of researchers from Costa Rica, Belgium, Japan and Greece.
There were also round tables: “Past and present of Nicoya’s diet” and “Characterization of the nutritional value of purple corn grown in Guanacaste,” and the presentation of research findings of the study “The long-lived population of the Nicoya Peninsula.”
On Friday, the “Blue Zones: Secrets of a long life”, “Interaction between Personality, Culture and Longevity”, “Gerontological perspective for an old age in movement” and other conferences will be held.
The agenda of Saturday includes: the Gastronomic Fair, World of Entrepreneurs, Food and craft products sales, etc. These last activities are part of the Ninth Edition of the GuanacacasteArte Festival.
Attendees can enjoy folk dances, film shows, poetry, circus activities, workshops for children, concerts with the traditional quijongo, theatrical staging and even the demonstration of how to steer the oxen.
This festival that started on Thursday and will last until Saturday, is totally free. It seeks to pay homage to the longest-lived inhabitants of the Nicoya Peninsula, because thanks to them they have managed to maintain many traditions and the culture of Guanacaste.
As part of the activity, there will be an Encounter of Longevity Carriers of Tradition, where Mrs. María Julia Espinoza of Nandayure will show her contributions in traditional Guanacaste food; José María “Kiko” Víquez will proudly show, as a cowherd boy , the traditional way of steeping the oxen so that the tradition is preserved; Magdalena Gómez, expert in the preparation of tortillas and defender of the gastronomic traditions of corn-based dishes. They will be joined by Isidoro Guadamuz who will be honored for preserving the tradition of the quijongo and will take the opportunity to show the best of his repertoire, at 90 years of age.