Behind the Scenes: Strengthening Friends of International Friendship Park
Every community event, volunteer day, art installation, and educational program begins long before the public sees the finished result. Behind the scenes, countless hours are spent building partnerships, strengthening communications, developing programs, and creating the infrastructure needed to support a growing organization. For Friends of International Friendship Park, 2025 was not only a year of […]
Friends Across Borders: Building a Continental Movement of Friendship
Friendship Park has always represented something much larger than a single location. For more than 50 years, it has stood as a symbol of connection, reminding visitors that friendship, understanding, and community can transcend borders. In 2025, Friends of International Friendship Park expanded that vision beyond San Diego and Tijuana with the launch of Friends […]
The Table of Amistad: Turning History into a Place of Gathering
What if a piece of the border wall could become a place where people gather instead of a barrier that keeps them apart? That question inspired one of the most meaningful projects to emerge from the Border Wall Transformation Project: the Table of Amistad. Created from one of the original sections of the U.S.–Mexico border […]
Reimagining the Border Wall: The Border Wall Transformation Project
For decades, sections of the U.S.–Mexico border wall have symbolised separation, conflict, and division. As portions of the original wall were removed and replaced, Friends of International Friendship Park saw an opportunity to ask a different question: What if these materials could tell a new story? Rather than allowing pieces of the original wall to […]
Bringing Friendship Park to the World: How the On the Road Program Expanded Our Reach
Not everyone has the opportunity to visit Friendship Park. Located at the westernmost point of the U.S.–Mexico border, the park is both geographically unique and, in recent years, increasingly difficult to access. But while physical barriers may limit who can experience the park in person, they do not limit the power of its story. That […]
The Story Behind Abrazo Mutuo: Transforming the Border Wall Through Public Art
Public art has the power to transform the way we experience a place. It can inspire conversation, preserve culture, and invite people to see familiar landscapes through a new lens. In 2025, Friends of International Friendship Park partnered with artist Alfredo “Libre” Gutiérrez and community collaborators to create Abrazo Mutuo (“Mutual Hug”), a striking 60-meter […]
The Resilience Satellite Garden: Growing While We Wait
Some gardens are created to grow food. Others are designed to beautify a space. The Resilience Satellite Community Garden was created to preserve something even more meaningful—hope. Located on the U.S. side of Friendship Park, the Resilience Satellite Garden represents the determination of a community that refused to let years of restricted access bring an […]
Growing Comunidad: Cultivating Community Across Borders
Community is at the heart of everything Friends of International Friendship Park does. While Friendship Park has long been recognized as a place where people from two nations come together, our Comunidad program demonstrates that the spirit of the park extends beyond its physical boundaries. Through environmental stewardship, volunteerism, education, and shared experiences, Comunidad brings […]