Day of the Americas (Pan American Day): April 14
Day of the Americas is celebrated as a public holiday in Honduras
Day of the Americas or Pan American Day is celebrated in the country of Honduras every 14th of April. It is actually observed by every American nations as a symbol of the unity and strong bond of the American continent.
History of the Day of the Americas
Pan American Day originated during the 1800s which was proclaimed by Simon Bolivar in the Congress of Panama. This was established because of the Monroe doctrine that aimed to create a spirit of unity between the countries in the American continent at the same time not forgetting about their European origin.
There were several actions and proposals that were escalated for the confederation of the Inter-American connection. It was only on 1889 that the American customs union was formally proposed and happened during the first International Conference of American States in Washington DC. Finally on April 14, 1890, the International Bureau of American Republics was established which later on was called the Pan American Union and sooner became known as the Organization of American States or OAS.
On May 7, 1930, the official date of the celebration of the Pan American Day was proposed at a resolution adopted by the Governing Board of the Pan American Union. And on 1931, April 14 as the official celebration day of the Pan American Day was officially passed under the administration of President Herbert Hoover.
The Day of the Americas Traditions, Customs and Activities
During this special holiday, the people of Honduras actively participate in the commemoration rites. Most offices display flag of the different nations that are part of the Pan American Union.
In most schools and universities, the Day of the Americas is always a big celebration every year. Some activities include a parade or a presentation by the orchestra and some even hold pageants or play that reenacts this particular day in the history.
Travel companies and the tourism department also organize exhibits and public displays that feature the many different articles and artifacts including replicas of the publication of the Organization of American States.
