There’s a move afoot to change the name of the national holiday we celebrated earlier this week from Columbus Day to Explorers’ Day.

The drive is in response to myriad opinions expressed by diverse segments of our multicultural population. Some argue that Christopher Columbus was not the first explorer to reach North America, just the first to be recognized. Others criticize the manner in which Columbus, and settlers who followed, engaged the native North American populace they encountered.

I find it interesting that a proposal designed to unify is stirring up so much controversy, with traditionalists arguing to maintain the status quo, others pushing for change and some musing: How could anyone “discover” a place that’s already inhabited?

I was in grade school when Congress voted to change the name of the holiday we celebrate in mid- to late-February from Washington’s Birthday to Presidents’ Day.  Washington’s Birthday was established in 1880, when our nation was barely a century old. In 1968, 88 years and 17 presidents later, it simply made sense to change the focus of the day from honoring our first president to honoring all presidents.

Explorers’ Day (or its variations up for discussion, including Discovers’ Day and Exploration Day) works for me. A broader name for the holiday opens the door to discussion, especially in classrooms, about people from all walks of life, historical figures to modern-day heroes, who push the limits of knowledge and social strata in life-changing ways.

— Lisa Matte, editor in chief

**Join Global Traveler’s fight against blood cancers and donate to our Light the Night corporate team. Select GT staff will walk two miles Oct. 13 to raise awareness for survivors and those who have succumbed to the disease. Donate at http://pages.lightthenight.org/epa/BucksCo12/globaltravelermagazine **