The first official event of One World Day 2012 was the depositing of soil from Croatia and Albania (the 2 newest Gardens) in the Urn of Nations at the American Legion Garden. This ceremony does not take place every year, only when new gardens are built.

American Legion Peace Garden statue

The City of Cleveland provided a Police Honor Guard for this event.

Cleveland Police Honor Guard

Bagpiper Bruce Grieg led dignitaries and members of the Cleveland Croatian and Albanian communities into the American Legion Peace Garden to begin the soil ceremony to mix soil from Croatia and Albania in the crypt with soil from other nations in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.

Bruce Grieg pipes the crowd to the American Legion Peace Garden

Sheila Murphy Crawford and Jeff Johnson march in

Anila Nicklos of the Albanian Garden marches in

Harry Davis served as MC of the ceremony.

Harry Davis

Cleveland Ward 8 Councilman Jeff Johnson welcomed the crowd to the soil ceremony

Cleveland Ward 8 Councilman Jeff Johnson

Andrew Gerace of Hawken School told about the history of the soil ceremony which began in 1939 to intermingle soil in the American Legion Peace Garden of all the nations who had gardens in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.

Andrew Gerace of Hawken School

Sheila Murphy Crawford, President of the Cleveland Cultural Garden Federation, explained the soil ceremony.

Sheila Murphy Crawford

Croatian Cultural Garden representative Branka Malinar introduced Julia Kucmanic from the Cleveland Junior Tamburitzans who sang the US and Croatian National Anthems.

Julia Kucmanic from the Cleveland Junior Tamburitzans sang the US and Croatian National Anthems

Julia Kucmanic led the US and Croatian National Anthems

Julia Kucmanic from the Cleveland Junior Tamburitzans sang the US and Croatian National Anthems

Kathy Kuhar read, in Croatian, the poem 'Zemlja moga srca' and then Croatian Cultural Garden representative Branka Malinar read it (Land of my heart) in English

Kathy Kuhar

Branka Malinar

Tony, a student at the Cleveland Croatian School, read a poem 'Homeland I love you' in Croatian.

Tony from Cleveland Croatian School

Sheila Murphy Crawford opened the soil crypt and Mila Mandic from the Cleveland Croatian community deposited soil from Croatia to mix with soil of other nations at the Soil Ceremony in the American Legion Peace Garden in Cleveland.

Crypt of soil in Cleveland Cultural Gardens

Mila Mandic deposited soil from Croatia

Mila Mandic from the Cleveland Croatian community deposited soil from Croatia to mix with soil of other nations

Anila Nicklos from the Cleveland Albanian community spoke about the new Albanian Cultural Garden and the dedication to and statue of Mother Teresa.

Anila Nicklos

Soil from Albania was then deposited in the crypt and mixed with soil of other nations at the Soil Ceremony in the American Legion Peace Garden.

Soil from Albania deposited in the crypt

Fran and Paul Burik at the Soil Ceremony

Members of the Cleveland Albanian community

Harry Davis and Sheila Murphy Crawford

Congratulations to Anda Cook, Char Crowley and their committee on a tremendous One World Day. Special thanks to the Irish Cultural Garden for being the 2012 host. One World Day was presented by the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation in partnership with Cleveland Council of World Affairs and ClevelandPeople.Com.

One World Day 2012 - Page 1

One World Day 2012 - Page 2 - Soil Ceremony (this page)

One World Day 2012 - Page 3 - Parade of Flags

One World Day 2012 - Page 4 - Main Ceremony

One World Day 2012 - Page 5 - Naturalization of New Citizens

One World Day 2012 - Page 6 - Entertainment

One World Day 2012 - Page 7 - Faces in the Crowd

Back to other Cleveland International Events

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Depositing of soil from Croatia and Albania 65th Annual One World DayCleveland Cultural GardensAugust 26, 2012

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Depositing of soil from Croatia and Albania
65th Annual One World Day
Cleveland Cultural Gardens
August 26, 2012

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