In what it called a strategic move, the Mr. Amigo Association has decided to go back to its roots and host the Mr. Amigo visit and events separate from Charro Days festivities.
Mr. Amigo hasn’t always been honored during Charro Days. In fact the first Mr. Amigo, Mexican President Miguel Aleman, was honored during events held in October 1964.
Then in 1967, hurricane Beulah made it impossible to celebrate a Mr. Amigo that year and the decision was made to recognize the honoree during Charro Days. In 1969, Jorge Perez y Bouras was the first Mr. Amigo honoree to be recognized during Charro Days festivities.
On Friday, the Mr. Amigo Association announced that the Mr. Amigo visit and events, Walk of Fame, Hands Across the Border Bridge Ceremony, Bi-National 10K Run and the President’s Awards Gala will move to coincide with the United Nations International Day of Friendship.
The U.N. marks the International Day of Friendship as a day to encourage governments, international organizations, and civil society groups to hold events, activities, and initiatives that contribute to promoting a dialogue, solidarity, and a mutual understanding in the fostering of an international community.
In a news release, the Mr. Amigo board of directors stated that it did not make the decision lightly, but after careful consideration and weighing all the pros and cons. The hoard decided this would be the best course of action for the Mr. Amigo Association and the cities of Brownsville and Matamoros.
“We stand ready to host Mr. Amigo in a weekend solely dedicated to this year’s honoree. “The committee is very excited to offer our community another weekend full of activities in the first week of August 2023. We will continue to have our traditional Hands Across the Border Bridge Ceremony with delegations from both cities in the middle of the Gateway International Bridge, our Walk of Fame Ceremony where the honoree’s star is unveiled, and scholarships are presented to high school students and our President’s Awards Gala. Additionally, we will bring back the acclaimed Bi National International 10K between Brownsville and Matamoros”, said Graciela Salazar, Mr. Amigo Association president.
“If we want our organization to grow, change is inevitable. It was a complicated decision for our board but a much needed one. We hope to count with the community support through this transition,” Salazar added.
Mr. Amigo Association is a non-profit organization that consists of committed volunteers.
“Each year we host events such as Una Noche en Garibaldi and Taste of La Frontera that help us raise funds to bring a Mr. Amigo to Brownsville. Hence, Mr. Amigo doesn’t get paid, we do pay for their food, lodging and travel expenses. Mr. Amigo Association will continue to support our sister organizations Charro Days, Sombrero Festival and Fiestas Mexicanas. We wish them nothing but the best and we thank them for letting us be part of their festivities during many years,” the Mr. Amigo Association stated in the release.
