The Cleveland Cultural Gardens consists of over 250 acres of land that includes about 40 (with 15 more in the works) gardens dedicated to various cultures. They are unique in the world and over 100 years old. After six years of planning, fund-raising and hard work the Ohio Colombian Foundation dedicated the Colombian Cultural Garden on Sunday November 17, 2024. It became the first Cultural Garden of a Latino culture.
The Ohio Colombian Foundation hosted a fundraising Carnival for the Garden on Saturday October 12, 2024. The theme was "Building a Colombian Garden for all.
There was live music from Ropa Vieja band, traditional dances, food and fun.
On August 25, 2024 the Cleveland Colombian community demonstrated their proud heritage at One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. One World Day has been the official event of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation since 1946. The Parade of Flags had 1500 people from over 53 countries.
Colombia Garden in Parade of Flags at One World Day 2024
After the Parade they hosted visitors in the Colombian Cultural Garden.
Spotting and Avoiding Scams for Hispanic and other Communities
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a government agency that protects people from frauds and scams. Unfortunately, scammer often target communities that they feel are vulnerable. That may be senior citizens, immigrants or members of ethnic communities. The FTC partnered with Ethnic Media Services (EMS) and hosted an event in Cleveland Ohio on September 24, 2024 dealing with Spotting and Avoiding Scams - especially for the ethnic communities. Experts from several agencies were joined by ethnic community leaders and members of ethnic media outlets for a robust and informative session.
Speakers from the FTC, Legal Aid and Cuyahoga County at the Scam event
The Hispanic Roundtable hosted their 2024 community convention on Saturday September 21,2024. It featured a Naturalization Ceremony, workshops for immigration, financial and medical advice, student contests, health screenings, a resource fair and more. The keynote presentation was a conversation between HRT co-founder José C. Feliciano and EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner Rita Moreno.
Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center in Cleveland Ohio was founded in 1989 as a family oriented center to serve the Latino youth and their families through programs and activities designed to foster cultural pride and art appreciation. On Saturday September 14, 2024 they celebrated their 10th annual Celebrando which is dedicated to honoring the rich cultural heritage of the Hispanic and Latino communities in Cleveland. It's a vibrant and engaging occasion filled with music, dance, and traditional cuisine, as well as educational and artistic presentations.
Doors to My Barrio at Julia de Burgos features old doors as canvases for artists to paint about the land of their heritage including Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Panama, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru, Guatemala, Cuba, Venezuela and more.
Cleveland was the proud host of the 2024 Pan-American Masters Games from July 12-21, 2024. A major event of the International Masters Games Association, the Games offer an opportunity to showcase competitive spirit and athletic ability of masters athletes on a global stage. Thousands of athletes from 6 continents (sorry Antarctica), 48 states and more than 70 countries (including Colombia) came to Cleveland in a celebration of health, vitality, friendship and an active lifestyle at any age.
Ivan Cerquera reported "This past Saturday, July 20th, we had the privilege of celebrating Colombian Independence Day at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. It was a memorable event filled with vibrant culture, community spirit, and delicious food. We were especially honored to have some of the athletes who participated in the PanAm Games join our celebration, adding to the excitement and pride of the day.
The celebration was a true community effort, with each attendee bringing ten Colombian dishes to share. This created a fantastic culinary experience, allowing everyone to savor the diverse flavors of Colombian cuisine. It was a wonderful opportunity for people to come together, share stories, and enjoy the richness of our culture.
We also took this occasion to announce the future site of the Colombian Garden, which will be a beautiful addition to the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. According to the plans, construction is set to begin at the end of September 2024. We are excited to see this project come to life and become a symbol of our heritage and pride. Looking ahead, we invite you to mark your calendars for our annual fundraising event on October 12, 2024. The proceeds from this event will go directly towards the construction of the Colombian Garden. It promises to be an evening of celebration and support for a cause close to our hearts. For more information about the Colombian Garden project and upcoming events, please visit our website.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this year's Independence Day celebration a remarkable success. We look forward to your continued support and participation in our future events."
Colombia Independence Day group
William Gruber added, "Our contractor says they plan to begin construction (weather permitting) in early September and to complete our Phase 1 of the Colombian Garden ---the first Latino Garden---by mid-October. We hope to have a ground breaking ceremony possibly in late August. We will announce that when we have it setup. The big crowd sang the US and the Colombian national anthems, and enjoyed Colombian music throughout the evening. We also had a tent with sales of handmade items from Colombia, and the Foundation sold pins, head bands, t-shirts and other items in support of the Garden. It was so much fun talking to the athletes from Colombia in a variety of sports---several of whom had won medals in their events in sports like running and swimming."
2023
Update from Ivan Cerquera, President, The Ohio Colombian Foundation
On behalf of The Ohio Colombian Foundation's board of directors, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who joined us for the 2023 Colombian Carnival, Fundraising for the Garden, held on October 14th. Your presence and support made this event truly special, and we couldn't be more grateful for your participation and trust in our mission.
Our goal of creating a Colombian Garden that enriches the lives of not only the Colombian community but also everyone in Cleveland is a vision we hold dear. Our slogan, "Building a Colombian Garden for All," embodies our commitment to creating a vibrant, inclusive space that fosters cultural exchange, community connections, and shared experiences.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to our sponsors and donors who played a crucial role in making this event possible. Your generous contributions have a direct impact on our ability to realize this vision, and we are immensely grateful for your support.
For those who were unable to attend the carnival, please know that you were missed, and we hope to see you at any of our future events. We have many exciting plans ahead, and your participation will make a significant difference. We also encourage you to consider supporting our cause by clicking the "Donate" button on our website.
Colombian Cultural Garden at One World Day August 27, 2023
The Cleveland Colombian community demonstrated their proud heritage at One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. One World Day has been the official event of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation since 1946. Over 50,000 people visited the gardens on One World Day 2023. The Parade of Flags had 1500 people from over 53 countries.
Colombia Garden in Parade of Flags at One World Day
Colombian Cultural Garden at One World Day August 28, 2022
The Cleveland Colombian community demonstrated their proud heritage at One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. One World Day has been the official event of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation since 1946. Over 40,000 people visited the gardens on One World Day 2022.
The Colombian community participated in the Parade of Flags and then welcomed visitors to their Garden and shared their culture.
Colombian Cultural Garden at One World Day August 29, 2021
Cleveland's Colombian community was well-represented at the 75th annual One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. They marched in the Parade of Flags and attracted hundreds of visitors to their in-progress Cultural Garden.
Colombia Garden in the Parade of Flags at One World Day
Ohio Colombian Foundation Colombian Independence Day Picnic
On Sunday, July 18, 2021, friends of the Ohio Colombian Foundation (OCF) gathered at the French Creek Reservation in Sheffield, Ohio, to celebrate Colombian Independence Day with food, fun, friends and family.
The July 20th holiday marks the date in 1810 that sparked a revolution that eventually led to Colombia's independence from Spain nearly a decade later.
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation hosted the 74th annual One World Day on August 25, 2019. Police estimates say that over 30,000 people visited the Gardens and attended One World Day. Though the Colombian community does not yet have a completed Cultural Garden, the culture was well represented.
A highlight of One World Day is the Parade of Flags where people in costumes of their heritage carry the flags. This year was undoubtedly the largest and most colorful in memory.
Colombian community in the One World Day Parade of Flags
Cleveland Cultural Garden Colombian Garden Project
The Ohio Colombian Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in July 2018 for educational, charitable purposes and most importantly to keep present and alive the heritage of Colombian cultural values and traditions. They support and promote education, peace, culture and community development throughout the state of Ohio.
They have been working to create a Colombian Cultural Garden. It would be the first Hispanic heritage garden in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens chain.
Ivan Cerquera, Luz Elena Klopp and Maria Pujana made a presentation at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation board meeting on January 9, 2019 describing their mission and plans.
Ivan Cerquera, Luz Elena Klopp amd Maria Pujana presenting
Among their points were:
10.8% of Cleveland's population is Hispanic. 3.5% in Ohio.
Currently there is no Colombian or Hispanic garden
Proposed location near Ethiopian Garden on MLK
3000 square feet
Proposed Budget $500,000
Design Team - Cathy Soergel Marshall, Coordinator Associate Professor Kent State University
Will be a foundation for other Latin gardens and guide and support other communities to follow
Renderings and Architect Design planned by 8-1-19
Launch July 20, 2020
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation board voted to approve the Ohio Colombian Foundation as community representative for the proposed Colombian Garden.
Maria Pujana, Dan Hanson, Luz Elena Klopp amd Ivan Cerquera,
Congratulations on this important step!
2018
One World Day 2018
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation (CCGF) hosted the 73rd annual One World Day on September 16, 2018. A highlight is the Parade of Flags where people in costumes of their heritage carry the flags. The Colombian community was well-represented in the Parade.
A highlight of the 6th annual Holiday Celebration of Cleveland's Diversity held in the atrium of the Global Center for Health Innovation in the Cleveland Convention Center by the International Community Council-Worldwide Intercultural Network (ICC-WIN) was the multicultural fashion show.
Lucy Klopp wore a typical outfit from Colombia in South America, from the region of Huila, located in the SW territory. The dress is composed of different pieces: a bouquet of artificial flowers for the head, blouse, skirt with flowers and golden slippers.
Young Athletes from Colombia at Continental Cup in Cleveland
The Continental Cup, put on by the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, is now in its 10th year and the 2015 event had 3300 athletes from 11 countries including Tanzania, Kenya, Mongolia, China, Bermuda, China, Colombia, Canada, Brazil, Nepal and Greece.
Young Athletes from Colombia at Continental Cup in Cleveland
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A nearly five-decade long conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups, principally the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) heavily funded by the drug trade, escalated during the 1990s.
More than 31,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia as a formal organization had ceased to function. In the wake of the paramilitary demobilization, emerging criminal groups arose, whose members include some former paramilitaries. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, but continue attacks against civilians. Large areas of the countryside are under guerrilla influence or are contested by security forces.
In November 2012, the Colombian Government started formal peace negotiations with the FARC aimed at reaching a definitive bilateral ceasefire and incorporating demobilized FARC members into mainstream society and politics. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its administrative departments.
Despite decades of internal conflict and drug related security challenges, Colombia maintains relatively strong democratic institutions characterized by peaceful, transparent elections and the protection of civil liberties.
