Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958
Samantha Lugo (212) 788-9364
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today was joined by Deputy Mayor Ninfa Segarra to celebrate the outstanding contributions of Puerto Ricans to the City of New York. At a Gracie Mansion reception, the Mayor presented a Proclamation to Mayor Santiago Mart¡nez of Juana D¡az, Puerto Rico honoring the town's 200th anniversary.
"I am pleased to welcome the National Puerto Rican Parade Committee, the delegation of Puerto Rican Mayors traveling from the island, and the Puerto Rican community to Gracie Mansion in anticipation of Sunday's vital and traditional celebration of the heritage, culture and history of over 800,000 New Yorkers of Puerto Rican descent," the Mayor said.
"Puerto Rican Day Parade is a New York tradition that unites the City as it celebrates not only the outstanding contributions of the Puerto Rican people to the history of New York City, but also our City's diversity. I salute the Puerto Rican Community for another year of achievement and growth," the Mayor added.
Also joining the Mayor were National Puerto Rican Day Parade President, Ram¢n S. V‚lez; Victoria Mu¤oz, daughter of Puerto Rican political legend Luis Mu¤oz Mar¡n; Herman Badillo, Senior Mayoral Advisor on Education; Marta Istomin de Casals, President of the Manhattan School of Music and 1998's National Parade Grand Marshall; Melissa Quesada, 1998 Parade Queen; Yesenia Filomeno, 1998 Junior Parade Queen; Kiara Laz Rivera, 1998 Baby Parade Queen; other elected officials, members of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Committee; and distinguished members of the Puerto Rican community.
The 1998 National Parade will take place on Sunday, June 14th, along Fifth Avenue with almost 100,000 marchers and nearly 3 million spectators. This year the Parade honors Luis Mu¤oz Mar¡n, architect of the Puerto Rican Commonwealth's Constitution, and the 200th anniversary of the town of Juana Diaz.