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International Park Historical Timeline |
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US-Mexico
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History of District 5520/4110 International Peace Park Educational Initiative June 18, 1932 Governments of Canada and the United States of America proclaimed Waterton Lakes National Park and Glacier National Park, together,as the world's first International Peace Park. February 16, 1935 Texas Senator Morris Sheppard writes a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt suggesting a park of international scope in the Big Bend area. October 5 and November 24, 1935 Meetings were held in El Paso, Texas between officials of the Mexican and United States governments at which time the International Park project was discussed and a temporary joint park commission established. February 8, 1936 Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, with the approval of the President, established a formal commission to meet in conference with officials of the Mexican Commission to formulate policies and plans for the establishment and development of International Parks, forest preserves, and wildlife refuges and the International Boundary with final recommendations of the joint commission to be submitted to both governments for consideration and approval. February 17-25, 1936 The joint commission met at Alpine, Texas and inspected the area in Mexico, entering through Boquillas and spending several days in the Sierra del Carmen, the Fronteriza range, and inspecting some of the adjacent villages. They then returned to the United States and drove to Castolon, visiting San Carlos and other nearby points. November 6-9, 1936 Another meeting was held in El Paso by the joint commission and other interested parties and citizens. The east and the west boundaries of the proposed International Park on the the international line were agreed upon at that time. Markers were established at these points in 1937 by the United States Boundary and Stream Commission. The western point is just below Lajitas, the eastern point is just above Stillwell Crossing. The Mexican Government approved the location of these markers. April 28, 1940 Article published in the Daily Oklahoman describes efforts to create international park with the headline "While Europe Fights, Mexico and America Plan Peace Park." October 12, 1940 The Convention on Nature Protection and Wildlife Protection in the Western Hemisphere was signed to promote conservation between the United States and Mexico. 1941 The membership of the U.S. section of the joint commission was changed and Mr. M.R. Tillotson, Regional Director, Region Three Office of the National Park Service at Santa Fe, New Mexico, was designated as chairman. 1942 The Mexican government also reconstituted their section of the International Commission. June, 1942 Mr. Tillotson and others went to Mexico City to discuss the project with the new Commission members, but did not achieve much as the Mexican members were not familiar with the situation. They expressed interest in the project and promised to study the problem. WORLD WAR II INTERVENED, AND NOTHING FURTHER WAS ATTEMPTED UNTIL THE PROJECT WAS REVIVED IN 1944. June 12, 1944 Big Bend National Park was officially established by the U.S. Congress. October 24, 1944 President Franklin D. Roosevelt writes a letter to His Excellency General Manual Avila Camacho, Presient of the United Mexican States. He states that "I do not believe that this undertaking in the Big Bend (refering to the establishment of Big Bend National Park) will be complete until the entire park area in this region on both sides of the Rio Grande forms one great international park." November 30, 1944 President Camacho responds to President Roosevelt's letter. In his letter he agrees with Roosevelts and states that he has instructed the Department of Foreign Relations and that of Agriculture and Formento to pursue as actively as is suitable studies that would lead to the creation of the Mexican Section of the said Park. March 5, 1945 U.S. Chief of Lands, Conrad Wirth, writes a letter to Dr. H.W. Morelock, President of Sul Ross College in Alpine concerning progress on the international park. He states that "the National Park Service can do little more than keep in touch with the Mexican officials indirectly by occassional letter, which is not an effective means of making substantial progress in the Big Bend situation. Your contacts, and the contacts of Mr. Burgess and others, with the Mexican people appear to us to be far more constructive than anything we might undertake at this time." April 12, 1945 Death of Franklin D. Roosevelt April 16, 1945 Letter to George Collins of the National Park Service in Chicago from William Vogt, Chief, Conservation Section, Pan American Union, Washington states that "the biggest obstacle in rounding out the Big Bend area is, at the present of course, the total lack of interest on the part of the Minister of Agriculture (Mexico) in whose jurisdiction the Parks fall." April 18, 1946 President Truman wrote President Camacho of Mexico inquiring about the results of the investigation the Mexican Government was to make on Big Bend International Park and urging the establishment of the international park. 1946 President Manual Avila Camacho's term as President of Mexico ends. May 30, 31 and June 1, 1950 "El Universal" daily newspaper in Mexico City published articles urging the creation of the "International Park of Friendly Nations." 1981-1986 Big Bend National Park Superintendent Gil Lusk initiated a long-term plan of friendship and communication on the grassroots level between the park and the border region in Mexico. Heads of State were taken on Rio Grande float trips and Mexican park managers were trained at Big Bend. August 14, 1983 An agreement between the United Mexican States and the United States of America on Cooperation for the Protection and Improvement of the Environment in the Border Area was signed. 1986-1990 Big Bend National Park Superintendent Jim Carrico continued the Lusk plan. October 14, 1988 Coahuila Governor Eliseo Mendoza Berrueto leads a group of staff members, private landowners, Mexican biologists and U.S. government officials on a trip into the Maderas del Carmen to inspect part of the area to be protected by the Mexican government across the border from Big Bend. October, 1988 An agreement of understanding between the National Park Service and the State of Coahuila was signed by Governor Eliseo Mendoza Berrueto, NPS Regional Director John Cook and Superintendent Jim Carrico. The agreement espoused cooperation between the two countries in research and preservation of the shared environment along the border. A similar agreement was later signed with the state of Chihuahua. May 5, 1995 Delegates attending a International Good Neighbor Council Spring Convention in Saltillo, Coahuila adopt a resolution urging both the U.S. and Mexican governments to move forward in creating a international park in the Big Bend region. March 11, 1997 Carlsbad Rotary Club approves a resolution urging the U.S. and Mexico to see the international park project to completion and that the park be designated a "Rotary International Peace Park." May 3, 1997 Rotary District 5520 approves a resolution at a District meeting in El Paso, Texas, urging the U.S. and Mexico to see the international park project to completion and that the park be designated a "Rotary International Peace Park." May 5, 1997 A Letter of Indent between the United States and Mexico to strengthen cooperation along the border in the Big Bend region was signed during President Bill Clinton's visit to Mexico City. September 12, 1997 At a Bi-District meeting in Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Rotary International Districts 5520, USA and 4110, Mexico adopted at Statement of Mutual Cooperation supporting the creation of a Rotary International Peace Park in the Big Bend area of West Texas and Northern Mexico. November 29, 1997 Rotary District 5510 Governors (current, 1 past and two governors elect) met in Las Cruces and established a Steering Committee to enable better planning, focus and communication in regard to the creation of a Rotary International Peace Park. November 9, 1998 At a Bi-District dedication ceremony at Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso, Texas, attended by government officials from the U.S. and Mexico and Rotary International President Jim Lacy, over 400 Rotarians from both Districts 5520 and 4110 joined hands in officially dedicating Rotary's long-term commitment to the creation of the International Peace Park. History of Rotary EffortsRotarians have been involved in promoting peace parks since 1931 when, in response to post World War I efforts to promote world peace, Rotarians from Montana(US) and Alberta (Canada) played an instrumental role in convincing their governments to create the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the world's first international peace park. An International Peace Park between the U.S. and Mexico in the Big Bend area of Texas, Chihuahua and Coahuila was first proposed in 1935. A series of meetings between government officials from both countries led both Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and President Manual Camancho Avila to promote the concept to their respective governments. The window of opportunity both Presidents helped to open was unfortunately interrupted by the onset of World War II. Since 1997 nine current and past District Governors from both Districts 5520 and 4110 have been working with the Presidents and members of clubs from both sides of the border to help with the peace park. Past Rotary International (RI) Vice President Sonny Brown with the help of Past RI President Jim Lacy and RI President-Elect Frank Devlyn from Mexico City have all actively shown their support. Over 400 Rotarians from both districts helped to dedicate the project and encourage its completion when RI President Jim Lacy presided over a Bi-district meeting dedication ceremony on November 8, 1998 at Chamizal National Memorial. We have also received support for the project from Past President Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, Friends of Big Bend National Park, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the National Parks and Conservation Association, the Sierra Club and the El Paso Zoological Society. District 5520/4110 International Peace
Park Latest
News September 25, 1999 - "Peace Across the Border" featured in the Sunday Living Section of the Carlsbad Current Argus. September 24, 1999 - Phone conference with Congressman Silvestre Reyes. September 19, 1999 - Letter to the Editor on Peace Park published in El Paso Inc. August 21, 1999 - District 5520/4110 Peace Park Committee Meeting, Juarez, Chihuahua. August 18, 1999 - National Park Historian Dr. Michael Welsh addresses the Carlsbad Rotary Club and praises Rotarians for their efforts to help complete the 70 year effort to establish a Peace Park. August 11, 1999 - Letter from John E. Cook, Intermountain Regional Director on the National Park Service on behalf of Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt encourages Rotary International to continue its important advocacy role and to develop the political and diplomatic consensus that is required to establish such an international park. August 6, 1999 - Peace Park was topic of discussion on KROD Radio Program, El Paso. July 20, 1999 - Embassador Miguel Ruiz Cabanas, Ministry of Foreign Relations, Mexico writes letter of to District 5520/4110 Committee stating that the Peace Park proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Fishery (SEMARNAP). June 28, 1999 - El Paso Zoological Society offers support for District 5520/4110 Peace Park efforts. June 3, 1999 - Peace Park article published in the Alpine Avalanche. May 22, 1999 - Multi-Media program on the Peace Park project presented to Rotarians attending District 5520 Conference in Silver City, New Mexico. May 4, 1999 - Friends of Big Bend National Park offers support for District 5520/4110 Peace Park efforts. April 16, 1999 - Lic. Leonor Ortiz Monasterio, Coordinator for Civil Matters at the National Palace in Mexico City, writes letter of support for Peace Park to Civil Ambassador Rosario Green Macias, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Mexico. April 11, 1999 - District 5520/4110 Peace Park Committee Meeting, El Paso, Texas. April 10, 1999 - Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt (US), Minister Julia Carabias (Mexico) and World Wildlife Fund President Kathryn Fuller join Big Bend National Park Staff and staff of the Maderas del Carmen and Canon de Santa Elena protected areas on a tour of the proposed Peace Park protected areas on both sides of the border. Big Bend Superintendent Jose Cisneros reports on Rotary Peace Park proposal. April 1, 1999 - Letter from Andrew Sansom, Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers support for Rotary Peace Park efforts and reports that new exhibits at the Big Bend Ranch State Park promote binational cooperation at every opportunity. April 1, 1999 - 12 page feature article, "Uniting La Frontera" in April issue of Environment magazine reports on Rotary efforts and other important information on ongoing efforts to Establish a Transboundary Park. March 30, 1999 - Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club proclaims support for District 5520/4110 Peace Park efforts. March 8, 1999 - Rotary International President-Elect (2000-2001) Frank Devlyn of Mexico City addresses District 4110 in Juarez offering his continued support for the District 5520/4110 effort to promote the creation of a Peace Park. At the meeting speaks about the project with members of the Juarez media. February 27, 1999 - Rotarians present program on Peace Park at a board meeting of the Friends of Big Bend National Park at Big Bend National Park. November 9, 1998 - District 5520/4110 Peace Park Committee members join nearly 60 other conservationists, biologists, government officials, and landowners from the United States and Mexico to discuss cooperation in the management of joint resources in protected areas along the Texas-Mexico border in Big Bend. November 7, 1998 - Rotary District 5520/4110 Dedication Ceremony held at Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso. Dignitaries in attendance include Rotary International President James L. Lacy, Superintendent of Big Bend National Park Jose Cisneros, Lic. Enrique Provencio Durazno, Presidente Institute Naciional de Ecologia, SEMARNAP, Dr. Glen Coulter of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Association and Mayor of El Paso Carlos Ramirez. October 27 1998 - Art Graff speaks to the Rotary Club of Del Rio, Texas. September 18, 1998 - National Park Service U.S. Mexico Affairs Director Howard Ness attends 18th Border Liaison Mechanism Meeting and discusses Rotary's efforts to create the Peace Park with several U.S. and Mexican participants. The proposal was enthusiastically received. October 7, 1998 - In a letter to District 5520 Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs of the Department of Interior, Brooks B. Yeager, welcomes Rotary as a partner in helping the DOI develop a strong program for technical exchange and cooperation with the Government of Mexico under the Letter of Intent signed on May 5, 1997. August 25, 1998 - Art Graff speaks to the Rotary Club of Van Horn. August 21, 1998 - In a letter to District 5520 Director of the National Park Service Robert Stanton states that Rotary can play a key role in the effort to create a international park by doing much of the ground work needed to develop the political consensus necessary to garner support for Congressional legislation. August 15, 1998 - District 5520/4110 committee meeting held in Juarez at the Pueblito Mexicano. August 11, 1998 - Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, President of Mexico, writes letter to District 5520 Governor Robert Wootten saying that he was pleased to learn about District 5520/4110 efforts to create a Peace Park including the historic meeting to dedicate the effort at Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso. July 11, 1998 - Second meeting of the District 5520/4410 new committee held at Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso. June 18, 1998 - Art Graff speaks to the Rotary Club of Fort Stockton, Texas. June 16, 1998 - Art Graff speaks to the Rotary Club of Marfa, Texas. June 4, 1998 - Art Graff, President of Rotary Club of Alpine, Texas begins series of presentations on the Peace Park with a presentation to his Alpine Club. June-August, 1998 - Peace Park Exhibit displayed at Chamizal National Memorial Visitor Center and gallery in El Paso. May 1, 1998 - District 5520 publishes special report distributed at District Conference in Ruidoso entitled "Rotarians in the U.S. and Mexico rekindle dream of a International Peace Park." Peace Park Committee presents special program on the project and unveils new exhibit. April 1, 1998 - District 4110 published special report distributed at District Conference in Juarez entitled "Parque Rotario Internacional de la Paz." New bilingual exhibit displayed during the meeting attended by nearly 1000 Rotarians from Mexico. Most Rotarians ask "how can I help?" February 8, 1998 - District 5520/4110 Peace Park Educational Initiative organizational meeting held in Las Cruces, NM. December 1997-February 1998 - Carlsbad Museum (NM) displays new Peace Park exhibit featuring District 5520/4110 initiative. September 12, 1997 - At a Bi-district meeting in Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Districts 5520 and 4110 adopted a Statement of Mutual Cooperation supporting the creation of a Rotary International Peace Park in the Big Bend area of West Texas and the northern frontier of Coahuila and Chihuahua. May 5, 1997 - Letter of Intent between the Department of the Interior (DOI, US) and the Secretariat of the Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries (SEMARNAP, Mexico) for joint work in natural protected areas signed in Mexico City during President Clinton's visit with President Zedillo. Agreement specifically called for increased cooperation in the wildlife protection areas in Mexico of Maderas del Carmen in Coahuila and Canon de Santa Elena in Chihuahua, and the adjacent protected area in the United States at Big Bend National Park in Texas. May 3, 1997 - District 5520 Conference in El Paso approves resolution encouraging government officials in the US and Mexico to see the original 1935 proposed Peace Park to completion. March 11, 1997 - Carlsbad Rotary Club approves a resolution urging the U.S. and Mexico to see international park project to completion and that the park be designated a "Rotary International Peace Park." January, 1997 - National Park Service U.S. Mexico Affairs Director Howard Ness presents program on binational efforts to create a International Park in the Big Bend National Park area.
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