Dia del Rio…A Week Long Celebration of the Rio Grande
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Oct 9, 2009, 0 Comments
Courtesy Xochitl Mora,
After 15 years, the Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC) and El Centro Internacional del Los Estudios del Rio Bravo (CIER), a bi-national environmental partnership of Los Dos Laredos, conceived by scientists of Laredo Community College (LCC), has promoted the preservation and protection of the Rio Grande-Rio Bravo watershed, from the headwaters in the Rockies of Colorado to the mouth at the Gulf of Mexico. One of the accomplishments of RGISC and CIER has been the successful development of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center (LBVESC)and the historical nature trails along the banks of the Rio Grande on the LCC campus.
Over those same 15 years, RGISC-CIER has promoted the bi-national celebration of the Rio Grande-Rio Bravo, our source of life sustaining water that allows the two Laredos to thrive. The celebrations have been symbolized by cleaning the river and it’s banks. This coming week will be the 15th anniversary of Dia del Rio. This will be a historical week that begins with a ceremony at the Los Dos Laredos Park. This year, we are holding a first event…the Rio Grande-Rio Bravo Watershed Alliance Conference at the Martinez Fine Arts Center on the campus of LCC so as to learn more about our watershed and build a watershed-wide network of like-minded individuals, agencies and organizations.
The week concludes on Saturday with the Dia del Rio clean up on both sides of the Rio Grande-Rio Bravo. A special feature of this year’s celebration of our Rio Grande-Rio Bravo will be the first Laredos Rio Fest, an international kayak and canoe race. This paddle race will demonstrate that our beloved Rio is not only a source of life giving water, but should also be enjoyed. Promotion of recreation on our Rio adds quality of life to the citizens of our river community as well as economic development and tourism.
We invite you to join us in this special week of activities of the 15th Anniversary of the Rio Grande-Rio Bravo, starting with the launch ceremony at the Los Dos Laredos Park this coming Monday morning, October 12th…at 9:30am. (Please see attached programs)
