An international agreement, signed in 1972, intends to establish a list of the world legacy. Its purpose lies on determining, based on a universal consensus, that which should be preserved. Seven historical centers of Mexican cities have been included in the legacy list. This article analyses the impact of this international process regarding federal and local practices of legacy protection, it also studies the positioning, in regards to this international process, of the different participants who live in the historical centers and take part in their future or have an opinion of it.