Belize 2012 the Maya Heartland - where will you be when the world begins anew?

The ancient Maya people of Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and southern Mexico developed one of the most advanced prehistoric civilizations in the New World. Many of their cultural achievements surpassed those of contemporary western European civilizations. Before the birth of Christ:

• they developed and used a system of writing for recording historical events,
• they tracked and studied the movements of the planets,
  • utilized this information in their development of a 365 day solar calendar,and
  • made computations with a numerical and arithmetical system that is comparable to our own decimal system of mathematics.

Often referred to as the "Greeks of the New World", the Maya produced works of art that are equally magnificent for their beauty as they are in their diversity. The splendor of their cities is still evident in the monumental temples and palaces that tower high above the tropical jungles that gave birth to them. Like the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans of the Mediterranean world, the Maya were the most literate ancient society of the Americas. They produced countless books, inscribed impressive monuments with records of their achievements and political histories, and created a cyclical calendar, or "long count" with which they could keep the dates of their achievements.

On December 21st, 2012, the Mayan long count calendar completes its 13th great cycle or B'ak'tun after nearly 52,000 years. The end of a cycle was considered to be a great cause for celebration, as the gods had blessed the Mayan people with continued life and health, and allowed a new age to begin.

The completion of this 13th B'ak'tun will be marked by year-long celebrations in Belize that will include sporting events, cultural shows and a variety of traditional ceremonies and rituals. These fantastic events will focus attention on both the achievements of the ancient Maya and their cultural contributions to the modern nation of Belize. Great vacation packages, as well as many opportunities for cultural travel, will be available! Come join us in 2012 and participate in our unique, year-long celebration of our amazing Maya heritage.