Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The President of the International Peace Garden Foundation, Paula Savage, recently announced that Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco has been selected for the honor of being designated the site of Mexico's International Peace Garden.

Canada introduced the first Peace Garden to the United States in 1990 in recognition of their long friendship and for having shared the longest undefended border in the world for more than 200 years. Thus began the tradition of naming the recipient countries which, for 2017, is Mexico.

Mexico's official International Peace Garden will adorn the slope that rises toward the entrance to the recently completed multi-faith chapel, Nuestra Señora del Jardín (Our Lady of the Garden), at the Vallarta Botanical Garden.

Vallarta's International Peace Garden will feature plants of the Mediterranean and the Holy Land along with Mexican wild flowers. "The intention is to use plants to acknowledge the geographical region that gave birth to several of the leading world religions and to grow these together in harmony with each other and with plants native to Mexico," said Vallarta Botanical Garden Executive Director, Neil Gerlowski.

The ornamental design will include terraces and ramps for people with disabilities. Plans are underway to complete the project before the planned dedication ceremony on February 16, 2017.

"Puerto Vallarta is a leading destination in Mexico when it comes to recognizing and respecting the diversity of cultures and human rights, which are among the International Peace Garden Foundation's many priorities," Savage said. "We hope to work side by side with Puerto Vallarta to promote world peace and friendship."

Like never before, the future of our world and its inhabitants depends on people coming together to work out peaceful solutions for our collective challenges. We can all play a part in this and shape the world we live in. One way towards accomplishing this is to set aside places dedicated for such actions. Outdoor spaces filled with natural beauty are especially appropriate as these landscapes restore the soul and create the perfect settings for purposeful reflection towards positive change.

The International Peace Garden Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1990 to promote global friendship and international understanding through the creation of the peace gardens. The Foundation and its programs are fully managed by volunteers working in close collaboration with embassies, municipal governments, cultural organizations and individuals who share their vision.

At present there are twenty International Peace Gardens on five continents. Mexico is the second country in Latin America to receive this honor. San Jose, Costa Rica was honored in 1999.

While this designation is certain to bring great notoriety to the Vallarta Botanical Garden, the city of Puerto Vallarta, and the Banderas Bay region as a welcoming destination dedicated to international peace and friendship, it brings no direct funding. The Vallarta Botanical Gardens is accepting tax-deductible donations (Mexico, Canada and the US) for this project. Please visit vbgardens.org for more information.