Cozumel celebrates the Día de la Raza, today, which marks the discovery of the American continent by Christopher Columbus. On October 12, 1492, Columbus, known in Spanish as Cristóbal Colón, landed on the Caribbean island of Guanahani.

Mexico celebrates Día de la Raza.

The pan-American holiday - commemorated by millions across Latin America and Spain - was first named by ex-minister of Spain, Faustino Rodríguez-San Pedro, as President of the Ibero-American Union in 1913.

Rodríguez-San Pedro wanted to establish an event to help unite Spain and Latin America and celebrate the diversity of the peoples of the American continent, many of which now shared a mixture of European and indigenous blood.

Columbus landing.

Colón, born in Genoa, Italy, was on a voyage of discovery across the Atlantic for the Spanish crown when his ship first sighted Guanahani. There is still debate over where the island was, but it is widely believed to be modern day San Salvador in the Bahamas, not far from Florida. Political controversy and regional historic differences meant that the day was officially recognized or adapted in different countries with different titles in the decades that followed.

In Mexico, the day was first officially commemorated in 1928, under the initiative of José Vasconcelos Calderón, a well-known Mexican writer and philosopher.

In the United States, 'Columbus Day' is a related holiday, also held on October 12. It is commemorated mainly by Italian-Americans in celebration of their heritage.

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