World Salsa Festival Ignites During the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16)

(By Maria Monica Ensalsate, Fang Yuan, May Zhao) The Salsa Trilogy—three styles, one rhythm—set the 19th World Salsa Festival ablaze during the 16th United Nations Biodiversity Conference. Organized by Cali’s Department of Culture, the festival opened in grand style at the prestigious El Pueblo Sports Arena.

The Salsa Trilogy is a spectacular showcase of Cali’s three most iconic salsa performances: Delirio, Ensálsate, and Mulato Cabaret.

This combined performance aims to showcase salsa’s allure to the world and explain why it has become an intangible cultural heritage of Colombia. Over 150 exceptional dancers and musicians took to the stage, delivering a thrilling 1.5-hour show.

That evening, the World Salsa Festival set the pace for the entire audience and captured the heartbeat of Cali.

Leydi Higidio, Cali’s Minister of Culture, stated, “The World Salsa Festival celebrates the promotion and preservation of salsa as an intangible cultural heritage. It brings together talent and creativity in an unforgettable performance. It’s also a platform for dancers to showcase their art, share their passion, and connect with other renowned artists.”

The festival opened with an unprecedented performance of the Salsa Trilogy, featuring the city’s three most significant salsa shows. These symbolic performances emphasized Cali’s standing as the world’s salsa capital.

The Salsa Trilogy was created with three main goals: first, to present salsa as Colombia’s intangible cultural heritage to the world; second, to promote, protect, and preserve this cultural expression for future generations; and lastly, to highlight salsa as a key component of Cali’s urban brand, boosting its influence and visibility during COP16.