San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro has been selected to be one of four members of an official Presidential Delegation traveling to Mexico City for the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain.

The one-day visit concludes with a dinner on Tuesday, September 14, hosted by Mexican President Felipe Calderón for dignitaries from around the world.

"I'm honored to be part of a delegation commemorating an event that shaped the course of history not only in Mexico, but in the United States and the world," said Mayor Castro. "By virtually any measure - trade, culture or a common history - the relationship between our two nations is inextricably linked."

U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis will lead the delegation named by President Barack Obama, which also includes U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Carlos Pascual and Maria Otero, the undersecretary of state for democracy and global affairs in the U.S. Department of State.

With a population of about 1.3 million residents, San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States. About 60 percent of its residents are Hispanic, the vast majority of whom are of Mexican ancestry.

"San Antonio represents the new face of the American Dream - a diverse community teeming with economic opportunities and a great quality of life," said Mayor Castro. "In the years to come, Texas and the United States will look much like San Antonio does today, and there is much to learn from San Antonio's success."

Fast facts:

• In 1953, San Antonio became the first U.S. City to have a Mexican Sister City with Monterrey, Nuevo León.

• San Antonio has the longest standing municipal trade office program in Mexico; CASA San Antonio just completed its 18th year of service.

• According to U.S. Department of Commerce statistics, in 2008, exports from the San Antonio metropolitan area totaled more than $5 billion, up from $3.6 billion in 2007. Mexico was the leading export market for San Antonio metropolitan-area firms, with exports to Mexico totaling $989 million.

• In October 1992, the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, was signed in San Antonio.