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ABOUT US AND OUR MISSION

OUR MISSION: To support public programs in New Mexico communities which inspire inclusive conversations that strengthen our civil society and celebrate diverse human experiences.

Celebrating 50 Years

Since 1972, the New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) has been engaging New Mexicans with history, culture and diverse humanities topics through Council-conducted public programs and grant funding for special projects.

The humanities explore human interaction and reflect on the experiences and meanings of life. By applying thought, reason and inquiry, we are able to understand and give meaning to our history and culture, connecting our past, present and future.

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Seeking to understand who we are, who we were and who we aspire to be.

What are the humanities?

The humanities focus on human culture with particular emphasis on storytelling and the liberal arts; the cultural implications of the natural sciences, social sciences, and the professions; and individual self-expressions that deal with abiding and perennial questions. The humanities are ways to understand and evaluate the human experience.

The act establishing the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1965 states Humanities includes, but is not limited to, the study of the following:

• modern and classical language; as well as oral history as a means of preserving languages
• linguistics
• literature’s role in shaping society
• historical reflections and analysis
• jurisprudence and links to how societies are shaped
• philosophy tied to ethics and human coexistence
• archaeology as a means to reflect on prior civilizations

• comparative religion and reflecting on religion’s influence on society and historical events
• the history, criticism and theory of the arts
• those aspects of social sciences which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods
• the study and application of the humanities to the human environment with particular attention to reflecting our diverse heritage, traditions and history, and to the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions of national life.

Our goals and objectives

The New Mexico Humanities Council remains committed to the substance of its statements of mission and goals as follows:

• to support quality projects and programs which engage humanities scholars and public audiences in a dialogue on topics and issues appropriate to the humanities;
• to enhance the civic and cultural life of New Mexico’s citizens through it projects and programs;
• to provide easy access to quality humanities programs for citizens and communities throughout New Mexico; and
• to strive for diversity in the humanities disciplines, formats, scholars, and public audiences involved in NMHC projects and programs. NMHC’s mission and goals reflect its history, its current relationship with its principal funder, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and sustained commitments by NMHC Board of Directors.