The district of Obligado, in Itapúa department, is preparing to celebrate its 114th foundation anniversary on May 25 with a packed schedule of sports, cultural, religious and civic activities, according to local newspaper Ultima Hora.
Recognized as the National Capital of Cooperativism, Obligado will host events starting this week, including the 114th Anniversary Race (the 6th round of the National Street Championship), the Mercosur Mini Basketball Tournament, the Rural Circuit of the Stations 5K and 10K, the National Motorcycle Encounter, and the final of the Inter-neighborhood Tournament.
Cultural and religious highlights include a festival honoring the patron saint Mary Help of Christians, and the traditional procession of her image to the Casa de la Cultura in the city center. The main ceremony will take place on Monday, May 25, with a civic, student and military parade along Avenida Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, where schools, community organizations and local institutions will pay tribute to the historic Itapúa community.
Obligado was founded in 1912 by Argentine landowner Pastor Servando Obligado, after whom the town is named. It was elevated to district status by presidential decree in 1954. The town is home to one of Paraguay’s largest multi-purpose production cooperatives, Cooperativa Colonias Unidas, which has been operating for 75 years and is considered a major economic engine.
The municipality has organized the festivities to reaffirm the town’s identity, history and cooperative spirit, with events designed for the whole family.