Why is April 14th Americas Day?

Every year, the countries of the continent commemorate April 14 as the Day of the Americas, in a “commemorative symbol of the American nations and the voluntary union of all in a continental community,” as established by the Organization of American States (OAS). ).

April 14 was designated Americas Day by US President Herbert Hoover in a proclamation signed in May 1930. In it, Hoover ordered that the US flag be displayed on all government buildings on that date and invited other states to also “fly the national flags.”

“I invite the people of the United States in general to observe the day with the appropriate ceremonies, thus expressing the spirit of continental solidarity and feelings of cordiality and friendship that the Government and people of the United States have towards the peoples and governments of the other Republics of the American Continent. ”, read the proclamation.

The following year, in 1931, the first celebration of Americas Day was held in a ceremony in Washington in which President Hoover was the main speaker and in which a tree was planted in the gardens of the OAS headquarters.

Also known as Pan-American Day or Pan-Americanism Day, April 14 was chosen as the day of celebration because it was the date on which the resolution of the First International American Conference was adopted, which met in Washington between October 2, 1889 and on April 14, 1890. In this, the Union of American Republics and its permanent secretariat, the Commercial Office of the American Republics, were created.

Both gave way to the Pan-American Union that finally became the current OAS in 1948, whose mission is to “strengthen the peace and security of the continent…prevent the possible causes of difficulties…procure the solution of political, legal and economic problems that arise… and promote, through cooperative action, their economic, social and cultural development”.

This union, however, has origins that go back to Simón Bolívar, who led the independence campaigns of several American nations. According to the National Human Rights Commission of Mexico, in 1826, Bolivar convened the Congress of Panama with the idea of ​​creating an association of states in the hemisphere that would support itself on issues of trade, health, agriculture, geography and history.

The association had as original members Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela. In the current OAS there are 35 member states.

Some countries like Honduras, Guatemala and Haiti made Americas Day coincide with their national holiday.

One of the symbols of Pan American Day is the Hymn of the Americas, composed by the Argentine musician Rodolfo Sciammarella. The theme is sung at official ceremonies and acts to commemorate Americas Day and has in its lyrics the name of a large part of the countries of the continent.

On Monday, April 17, the OAS will hold a protocolary session of its Permanent Council on the occasion of Americas Day, in which the US government’s presidential advisor for the Americas, Chris Dodd, will participate.

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