Hungarian Cultural Garden
Wings of Peace Statue and Legacy Wall Dedication
June 27, 2021

Despite a sudden and driving rain storm, a new addition was dedicated in the lower level (MLK Blvd.) of the Hungarian Cultural Garden on Sunday June 27, 2021. It is called Wings of Peace (A Beke Szarnya) and features a young girl releasing a dove to the sky.

Carolyn Balogh, President of the Cleveland Hungarian Cultural Garden, served as MC and introduced the singing of the US National Anthem and Himnusz.

The new statue was commissioned by Marta Kirsch and Elisabeth Allison to honor their father Emery Kovacs Smith who emigrated to the US in 1923. Carolyn Balogh introduced the sisters and thanked them.

Carolyn Balogh

She then introduced the artist Ken Roby of The Village Blacksmith Inc. of Chagrin Falls Ohio. Ken told the story of the creation of the statue.

Ken Roby and the Wings of Peace statue

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Carolyn Balogh also spoke of the completion of the Legacy Wall in the Garden and introduced Zsolt Pava, Diplomat for the Hungarian Communities Abroad, Chicago. He represented the Government of Hungary and spoke about the Legacy Wall and preserving Hungarian traditions and memories.

Zsolt Pava

The short program ended with the reading of a poem in Hungarian called Domokos Day by Janos Arany (1817-1882) by Gyongyi Gratzl.

Gyongyi Gratzl and Carolyn Balogh

The rain came down hard but the sturdy Hungarians remained.

Greg Polyak and Marcia Snavely in the rain



Lel Somogyi



John and Marika Megyimori

After the rain, the event moved to the new Centennial Peace Plaza for the annual Franz Liszt concert.

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