JUAREZ, Mexico, May 19 (UPI) -- A Mexican state congress said it will change the name of the city of Juarez, which has been plagued by drug cartel wars, to the Heroic City of Juarez.
The permanent and official name change will take place Saturday during a ceremony in Juarez, the El Paso (Texas) Times reported.
The celebration commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Cuidad Juarez, a conflict that determined the outcome of the Mexican Revolution, the Times reported.
Juarez has an image problem due to the violence that has played out in its streets daily since 2008 when the cartel wars began in Mexico. More than 8,000 people have been killed in the city's streets since then, causing some to call it the world's deadliest city, the Times reported.
For the last five months, however, business leaders and municipal officials have been working to change the image. A new song promoting the city has been adopted and there will be events to showcase Juarez's arts, culture, manufacturing and business activities, the Times reported.
Chihuahua state Rep. Francisco Gonzalez Carrasco said the name-change highlights Juarez's important role in the country's history.
"This is only a small payment for what Juarez has done for Mexico," said Carrasco.
