Strengthening cultural ties and looking to enhance cooperation on tourism and cross-border trade and investment, mayors from Southern Arizona and Sonora vowed to meet regularly as part of a new partnership.
A dozen mayors from both sides of the border gathered Friday for a conversation about what’s going on in their respective cities and the release of a joint statement formalizing the Southern Arizona-Sonora Border Mayors Partnership.
Along with promoting economic opportunities, the group said it intends to organize education, sports and cultural events designed to grow the relationship between the United States and Mexico.
“The statement is really just saying that we value collaboration. That we value and acknowledge that our partners across the border — whichever side of the border they’re on — are vitally important to the other side,” said Lea Márquez-Peterson, president of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Three years ago, after elections in Sonora, the chamber brought together a group of border mayors as a way to establish relationships with incoming Mexican administrations and their U.S. counterparts.
This year, the chamber decided to expand on that idea and make the meeting an annual event.
“It’s great that the chamber is doing this, we don’t have to wait for a forum to be put together by governments, we can continue being in touch,” said Ernesto Munro, the mayor of Puerto Peñasco.
While there are several state and local governmental agencies involved in promoting cross-border collaboration, it’s important for others to be involved, said David Farca, president of the Arizona Mexico Commission.
“Leadership from the private industry is imperative to the state’s effort,” he said. “Let’s take advantage of these opportunities to work together and build a better community for people in Mexico and in Arizona.”
The relaxed nature of the event, which featured a brief presentation by each mayor and a reception at Casino del Sol, was by design, Márquez-Peterson said.
“So much of the Mexico-U.S. relationship is very formalized, but I like that this is a little more low-key and that people can interact, mix and mingle, and form friendships,” she said.
Fernando Herrera, the mayor of Cananea, said that while there were no big promises made that evening, he had accepted the mayor of Sierra Vista’s invitation to their fall concert.
“That’s a commitment that was generated here, for a dialogue between two mayors from sister cities,” he said. “It’s a start of getting to know Sierra Vista, and we’ll be inviting them to Cananea, as well.”
Although the partnership pledged to meet every year, Puerto Peñasco’s Munro said there are already talks of hosting a similar gathering in Sonora, especially since all the mayors agree on the importance of working together.
“We’re convinced that in the strengthening the bonds between communities we will strengthen the economic region formed by our respective states,” he said.
