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Chamizal National MemorialLittle Girl with Mexican Flag
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Chamizal National Memorial
History & Culture
 
portion of the Carlos Flores mural
Mural painted by Carlos Flores and gifted by the Junior League of El Paso.
The story of the regional blending of cultures is captured in this mural through the symbols and images of the United States and Mexico. The mural, Nuestra Herencia (Our Heritage), measures 18 by 120 feet.

Chamizal National Memorial was established to commemorate the Chamizal Convention (treaty) of 1963. U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Mexican President Adolfo Lopez Mateos met to discuss the "Chamizal Issue", which had been a sore point between the two nations for over 100 years.

Today, the Memorial serves as a cultural center where people from all backgrounds can experience the shared wealth of diverse cultural groups living within the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez borderland community. Through the use of the visual and performing arts, and education programs, the Memorial promotes cultural awareness, and preserves the sentiments behind the treaty that made the peaceful resolution a reality.

 

To learn more about the history of the Memorial, please download Why We're Here (PDF document).
Documento en Español

Chamizal Logo
Learn more about the History of the Chamizal Issue
Download video clips that trace the history and significance of the Memorial.
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Siglo de Oro
Siglo de Oro at the Memorial
Learn more about Spanish Golden Age drama and the festival the Memorial hosts yearly.
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Catrina - Dancing
Find out what's new in the park's galleries
Photos and information about current exhibitions in the Memorial's three gallery spaces
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Chalk Art - People Holding Hands  

Did You Know?
The Chamizal Convention of 1963 settled a 100-year long boundary dispute with Mexico. The Memorial is the only NPS site that commemorates the unique way the Chamizal Dispute was settled –through goodwill, diplomacy, mutual cooperation and cross-cultural understanding.
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Last Updated: December 12, 2007 at 19:33 EST