More than 52,000 people attended Graham’s overflow events at Mexico City’s largest arena last year
MEXICO CITY, Jan. 18, 2024—Franklin Graham is returning to Mexico one year after the historic, two-night outreach at Arena CDMX filled the venue. An additional 10,000 people watched the event outside the arena on screens set up in the overflow area.
Franklin Graham is coming back to Mexico on February 17 and 18. This year, he is bringing Esperanza CDMX to the Palacio de los Deportes. He is the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), which is working with more than 2,000 evangelical churches for the outreach. The free and family-friendly event will begin at 6:00 p.m. on both nights.
“I’m thrilled to be returning to Mexico City to share a message of hope,” said Franklin Graham. “So many people are overwhelmed by the circumstances of life and the hardships all around us, and I want the people of this great city to know that God loves them and has a plan and purpose for each one of our lives.”
In addition to leading BGEA, Franklin Graham is also president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, the international Christian relief and evangelism organization, which is helping people devastated by the catastrophic hurricane that hit Acapulco, Mexico, in October. Samaritan’s Purse has sent 90 tons of emergency relief supplies to Acapulco on four airlifts, and 25 chaplains on BGEA’s Rapid Response Team have also comforted and prayed with thousands of people. Dozens of churches in Mexico City that are supporting the disaster relief efforts in Acapulco are also working with BGEA for Esperanza CDMX.
“This city desperately needs hope. We have lived through difficult times and people are suffering from anxiety, violence and hopelessness,” said Aarón Cortés Hernández, senior pastor of Iglesia Cristiana Interdenominacional A.R. (ICIAR) in Mexico City. “The festival of hope is an opportunity for the city to find an alternative to the difficult times it is going through now.”
Esperanza CDMX will feature live music from Redimi2, a Dominican Christian rapper and Miel San Marcos, a Guatemalan group that has been nominated for a Latin Grammy. Six-time Latin Grammy winner and two-time Billboard winner Marcos Witt and Grammy-nominated Mexican singer Nadia will also be joining Esperanza CDMX, as well as multi-platinum selling artist Michael W. Smith, who has been honored with three Grammys and an American Music Award.
DOWNLOAD PHOTOS AND VIDEOS: media.billygraham.org/esperanza-cdmx-2024-press-room
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES
- Thursday, Jan. 25: Grammy-nominated Mexican singer Nadia will be available for interviews.
- 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 16: Franklin Graham will be available at a press conference at the Hilton Reforma on Av. Juárez, Colonia Centro.
- 6 p.m. on Feb. 17 and 18: Journalists are invited to attend the outreach at Palacio de los Deportes. Audio connections and a workspace will be provided.
MEDIA CONTACT: To request an interview or to RSVP to cover Esperanza CDMX, contact Mark Barber at mebarber@bgea.org or (828) 386-5803.
ABOUT FRANKLIN GRAHAM AND THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION
Founded by Billy Graham in 1950, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association shares the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world. Franklin Graham is continuing the lifelong work of his father, and since his first evangelistic event in 1989, he has held more than 325 outreaches in 55 countries. This year, Franklin Graham is looking forward to preaching in Mexico City; Krakow, Poland; Birmingham, England; Glasgow, Scotland; Naples, Italy; and Can Tho, Vietnam.
ABOUT SAMARITAN’S PURSE
Ahead of his stop in Mexico City, Franklin Graham is preparing to return to Israel where Samaritan’s Purse is helping people in Israel and Gaza who are suffering from the war. The Christian relief and evangelism organization has also provided more than 230 million pounds of food in war-torn Ukraine since that conflict began. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has responded to the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situations—especially in locations where few others are working. The organization works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine and persecution.
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