The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York Founded in 1991, the Mexican Cultural Institute of New York was established along with thirteen other Institutes throughout the United States as part of the “Program for Mexican Communities Abroad”. The main purpose of this program was to nurture a sense of national identity among the people of Mexican origin living in the United States by strengthening their links to Mexico’s history and traditions. Both an independent U.S. not-for-profit organization and the New York cultural branch of the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Mexican Cultural Institute is committed to generating awareness of the richness, dynamism and cultural diversity of Mexico as a democratic, plural and creative nation. Through art exhibitions, performances, film screenings, panel discussions, readings, book presentations and other activities, the Institute in collaboration with leading New York organizations, develops and cosponsors events that showcase the uniqueness of Mexico's art and culture, and infuses New York with the variety of Mexico's traditional and contemporary cultural and artistic expressions.