Asian Heritage Month Closing at Cleveland City Hall
On May 29, 2026 the City of Cleveland under the leadership of Asian Liaison Chia-Min Chen, hosted a closing event for Asian Heritage Month in the Rotunda of City Hall. Participating groups were from Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.
At the Uzbek table, we spoke with Jak Saidov about his native Uzbekistan. Jak is founder of the Uzbek Cultural Garden in Cleveland and a leader in the community. We looked at the map and Jack explained that Uzbekistan is one of only two double landlocked countries in the world (the other is Lichtenstein). That means that it is surrounded by other landlocked countries even though they border the Caspian Sea which is actually a lake.
Jack spoke of the Silk Road history and that silk and cotton are still big parts of Uzbekistan. It's about the size of California in area and is the most populous of the Central Asian countries with about 37 million people.
Watch the video.
The City of Cleveland held their first Nowruz (Persian New Year) celebration in the Rotunda of Cleveland City Hall on Monday March 23, 2026. Nowruz, meaning "new day" in Persian, is an ancient festival marking the Persian New Year and the arrival of spring, celebrated on the vernal equinox—typically March 20 or 21 by over 300 million people across diverse ethnic groups in regions including Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Albania, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and more.
One World Day has been the official event of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation since 1946. The Uzbekistan community participated in the Parade of Flags which had 1500 people from over 53 countries.
Cleveland Uzbek Community in the Parade of Flags at One World Day
After the Parade of Flags they welcomed visitors to their Garden.
The theme of One World Day 2025 was "Textiles." The Uzbekistan Cultural Garden showcased some of the traditional textiles of the country. Uzbekistan was on the Silk Road connecting China and Europe so there are silk textiles. Uzbekisatn was called, "the Eastern Gem of Central Asia." Watch the video.
2024
Uzbekistan Cultural Garden on One World Day 2024
One World Day has been the official event of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation since 1946. The Uzbekistan community participated in the Parade of Flags which had 1500 people from over 53 countries.
Cleveland Uzbek Community in the Parade of Flags at One World Day
After the Parade of Flags they welcomed visitors to their Garden.
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 Uzbekistan community participated in the Parade of Flags which had 1500 people from over 53 countries.
Cleveland Uzbek Community in the Parade of Flags at One World Day
After the Parade of Flags they welcomed visitors to their Garden.
The Cleveland Uzbek 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 Uzbek community participated in the Parade of Flags
Cleveland Uzbek community in Parade of Flags at One World Day
Here is a video of the entire Parade of Flags.
They then hosted visitors on the site of the Uzbek Cultural Garden.
Uzbek Cultural Garden
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Cleveland's Uzbek community was well-represented at the 75th One World Day in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens on August 29, 2021. They marched in the Parade of Flags and hosted visitors in their in-progress Uzbek Cultural Garden.
Uzbek community in Parade of Flags at One World Day 2021
Uzbek community in their Garden on One World Day 2021
Fun with Maps - Afghanistan and other "-Stan" Countries
We have always planned on doing a Fun with Maps episode on one or more of the "Stan" countries. Just not yet. Unfortunately, the news has made me change the schedule and focus on the map of a very troubled place - Afghanistan.
This episode looks at the group of seven countries known as the "Stan" countries (including Uzbekistan) in the heart of Central and South Asia. Then we drill down more into the map of Afghanistan, its capital Kabul and more.
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 Uzbek community does not yet have a 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.
The Cleveland Uzbek community was represented at the 73rd annual One World Day on the site of the new Russian Cultural Garden. Members of the community marched in the annual Parade of Flags and later members of the Uzbek community shared their culture with thousands of visitors on One World Day.
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens are a chain of ethnic gardens, unique in the world, which feature the heritage of the diverse population that makes up Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Though they do not yet have a Cultural garden the Uzbek community attended the 73rd annual One World Day in the Gardens. Jak Saidov and his colleague explained the Uzbekistan Flag and told of the country and community.
Organizations and Resources for Uzbeks in Cleveland
Tell us about the music, food, holidays, traditions, costumes, language and other qualities that make Uzbekistanis so special.
Russia conquered the territory of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry.
Independent since 1991 upon the dissolution of the USSR, the country has reduced its dependence on the cotton monoculture by diversifying agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base. Uzbekistan's first president, Islom Karimov, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in September 2016. The political transition to his successor, then-Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev was peaceful, but sidelined the constitutional process where the chairman of the Senate would have served as the acting president.
Mirziyoyev, who won the presidential election in December 2016, has improved relations with Uzbekistan's neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic and judicial reforms.
Profiles of Uzbekistanis in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio
If you know of a Cleveland Uzbekistani who should be profiled, please let us know.
ClevelandPeople.Com - Uzbekistani Ambassadors
Read more about the Uzbek and other Ambassadors. If you are interested in being considered to be an official ClevelandPeople.com Ambassador to the Cleveland Uzbek community, please contact us.
