original_query: What is the significance of Columbus Day in many countries of the Americas and elsewhere?
query: What is the significance of Columbus Day in many countries of the Americas and elsewhere?
answer: Columbus Day's significance varies widely. In some countries, it celebrates Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, while others commemorate the encounter between Europeans and Native Americans, focusing on either the exchange of cultures or the indigenous peoples' resistance.  Some countries have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day or similar observances.