Pan American Day#United States
{{Short description|Day honouring countries of North and South America}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox holiday
|holiday_name = Pan American Day
|type =
|image = Americas (orthographic projection).svg
|imagesize =
|caption =
|official_name = Pan American Day
|nickname =
|observedby = Several Countries in The Americas
|litcolor =
|longtype =
|significance =
|begins =
|ends =
|date = April 14
|scheduling = same day each year
|duration = 1 day
|frequency = Annual
|celebrations =
|observances =
|relatedto =
}}
Pan American Day is a holiday observed by several countries in North and South America. It commemorates the First International Conference of American States which concluded on April 14, 1890, creating the International Union of American Republics, the forerunner to the Organization of American States (OAS).{{cite book|last=Osmańczyk|first=Edmund Jan|title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements|year=2003|publisher=Routledge|location=New York|isbn=0415939216|page=1759|edition=3}} The holiday was originally proposed by the organization in 1930, and was first observed on April 14, 1930.{{cite book|last=DeConde|first=Alexander|title=Herbert Hoover's Latin-American Policy|year=1951|publisher=Stanford University Press|pages=118–119}}
Parades are held, some schools put on plays, the orchestra plays music, people set up exhibits, and pageants are sometimes held.
Belize
In Belize, Pan American Day' refers to October 12, which is celebrated as Columbus Day in the United States.{{cite news|title=Belize celebrates Pan American Day|url=http://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2016/10/10/belize-celebrates-pan-american-day/|access-date=12 October 2016|work=Breaking Belize News|date=10 October 2016}} It should not be confused with "Pan American Day," which celebrates the founding of the Organization of American States (OAS) on April 14.{{cite web |title=Pan America Day 2020, 2021 and 2022 |url=https://publicholidays.bz/pan-america-day/ |website=PublicHolidays.bz |access-date=September 15, 2020}}
Originally known as Columbus Day, Pan-American Day in Belize is a celebration of the migrations of the Mestizos and indigenous cultural groups from the Yucatán into Belize, creating the country we know today
Belize chooses not to celebrate the achievements of Columbus, but rather the forging of its rich cultural diversity. The Mestizos and Yucatec Maya came to Belize looking for a calm and peaceful land, free from conflict where they could settle.
Honduras
{{Main|Public holidays in Honduras}}
Though the Organization of American States (OAS) includes 35 countries, Honduras is the only country who observes a public holiday to mark the events of 1890. It is celebrated on April 14.{{cite web |title=Panamerican Day in Honduras in 2021 |url=https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/honduras/panamerican-day |website=Office Holidays |access-date=January 9, 2021 |language=en}}
United States
In the United States, Pan American Day is observed by Presidential proclamation on April 14. In addition, the entire week on which the holiday falls is observed as Pan American Week. On April 7, 2017, President Donald Trump proclaimed Pan American Day and Pan American Week on April 7, 2017.{{cite news|last1=Office of the Press Secretary|author-link=White House Office of the Press Secretary|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/07/president-donald-j-trump-proclaims-april-14-2017-pan-american-day-and|title=President Donald J. Trump Proclaims April 14, 2017, as Pan American Day and April 9 through April 15, 2017, as Pan American Week|location=Washington, D.C.|language=en|date=April 7, 2017|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|access-date=April 7, 2017}}