Note:  details on the following will be forthcoming as this information is updated.  Chronological order of events follows:

Italian Cultural Garden’s “Opera in the Garden”, Sunday, July 25

Cultural Gardens Federation Executive Board Meeting, Tuesday, August 10th, 6:30 PM.  Judson Park Manor, East 107th at Chester.  Lower concourse–enter at main entrance on East 107th and proceed to stairs or elevators–one floor down.  Open to all.  Free parking in Judson’s parking lot at East 107th and Chester (north side)

Hungarian Cultural Garden’s Golf Outing and dinner at Shaker Country Club on Wednesday, August 11, from 11 AM on.  Details at 440-564-7088

Glenville Heritage 5 mile run and 1 mile walk through the Cultural Gardens sponsored by Famicos  Foundation on Saturday, August 14th. For details & registration, call Famicos at 216-791-6476.  Councilman Jeff Johnson is the host.

Hungarian Cultural Garden Concert in the Garden at 1070 East Blvd, Cleveland 44108.  Free.  Sunday, August 15, from 2 to 4 PM.

Armenian Cultural Garden Dedication, Sunday, September 19, 1-2 PM; 741 MLK Drive at St. Clair exit.  Parking on  East Blvd above the Garden as well as at Sam Miller Park on East Blvd and across from Rockefeller Greenhouse.  Lolly-the-Trolley bus service from Sam Miller Park at regular intervals.

One World Day in the Cultural Gardens on Sunday, September 19, 2-6 PM Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation.

Italian Film Festival to benefit the Italian Cultural Garden at 7:30 PM on September 16, 23 and 30 at the Cedar Lee Theater in Cleveland Hts with pre-film party at Jimmy O’Neil’s next to the theater.  At 7:30 PM on October 7 at the Capitol Theater on Detroit at West 65th with pre-film party at Lux Restaurant across Detroit from the theater.  Tickets and information at 216-456-8117.

Teachers’ Appreciation Day in the Chinese Cultural Garden–September 28, 2010.  Details to follow.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday Celebration in the India Cultural Garden at 6 PM on Saturday, October 2.

Annual benefit for the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation October 9, 2010.

Cultural Gardens Federation Executive Board Meeting, Tuesday, October 12th, 6:30 PM.  Judson Park Manor, East 107th at Chester.  Lower concourse–enter at main entrance on East 107th and proceed to stairs or elevators–one floor down.  Open to all.  Free parking in Judson’s parking lot at East 107th and Chester (north side)

Cultural Gardens Federation Executive Board Meeting, Tuesday, November 9th, 6:30 PM.  Judson Park Manor, East 107th at Chester.  Lower concourse–enter at main entrance on East 107th and proceed to stairs or elevators–one floor down.  Open to all.  Free parking in Judson’s parking lot at East 107th and Chester (north side)

Croatian Cultural Garden/Cleveland Junior Tamburitzen joint benefit “Night at the Races” on Saturday, November 13th.  Details follow.

Cleveland Women’s Orchestra plays famous Croatian composer’s music (Dora Pejacevic) for first time in Cleveland. Croatian Garden benefit, November 28 at Croatian Lodge Party Center, Eastlake.  $15 per person. Details to follow.

Welttrauertage (World Day of Mourning) in the German Cultural Garden in November with details to be announced.

Holiday dinner of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation on Tuesday evening, December 14, 2010 with details to be announced.

Estonian Cultural Garden’s Voidupuha-Jaanipaeva Celebration (mid-summer solstice), Sunday, June 27th, 2010

Polish Cultural Garden’s Chopin bust dedication and Chopin piano concert, in the Garden, in June–date pending

Serbian Cultural Garden’s 2nd Annual Golf Outing at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, Saturday, July 10, 10 AM-late afternoon; 6 PM Dinner at Sterle’s

German Cultural Garden’s Conrad Mizer/Karl Wolfram Concert,  Free and in the German Cultural Garden on July 11, Sunday, 1-3 PM.

Join the Indian community in celebrating Mahandas Gandhi’s 141st birthday.  The celebration will be held in the India Cultural Garden at 1190 MLK Blvd, Cleveland, Ohio 44108.  Festivities begin at 6 PM.

The India garden organized or participated in the following events in 2009:

Mother’s Day Peace Party

On May 10, 2009, the India Garden hosted the second annual Mother’s Day Peace Party at the garden site from 2 to 4 PM.  The event was co-sponsored by Cleveland Peace Action, and Women Speak Out, highlighting the origins of Mother’s Day as a symbol of peace against the backdrop of war.  The event also paid tribute to India Garden delegate Vijaya Emani, who died in a tragic automobile accident earlier in the year.

The event featured Sherrie Tolliver of Women in History who portrayed Rosa Parks, highlighting the link between Mahatma Gandhi and the civil rights movement.  Attendees were treated to music, food, a chance to learn to make origami cranes (a Japanese symbol of peace), and to have their photographs taken beside the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

Mahatma Gandhi Birthday

On October 2, 2009, the India Garden hosted a prayer session at the garden site at 6 PM to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 140^th birthday.  Children sang his favorite prayer songs, and read many of his famous quotes.  Several India community members shared their favorite stories about Mahatma Gandhi.

The event received prior publicity on local TV Channel 3, which aired a short segment about the India garden and Gandhi’s birthday during the evening news on Sept. 23.

Gandhi’s Relevance in Today’s Times

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Rep. Marcia Fudge and community leaders Maurice Small, Greg Coleridge, Sudarshan Sathe and Indra Shah were the featured speakers at a public forum about Mahatma Gandhi’s relevance in modern times.  The event was held at 2 PM on October 3, 2009 at the Martin Luther King branch of Cleveland Public Library in observance of Gandhi’s 140^th birthday.   The India Garden, the University of Akron Gandhi Leadership Scholars, and the National Association of Asian American Professionals sponsored the event.

Attendees enjoyed a video about Gandhi’s life, a session of meditation, and lively discussions about Gandhian principles, followed by Indian food provided by area restaurants.

Maltz Musem Exhibit

The India Garden also participated in the exhibit entitled “A Celebration of Cultures” at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage held in December, 2009.

Clean-up and Maintenance

Weeding and clean up of the garden was done during several weekends in the spring, and mulching of the flower beds in May.  The annual cleaning and waxing of the Gandhi statue even attracted coverage in the Plain Dealer, with a photograph by Gus Chan published on Sept. 10.

Friends of India Cultural Garden Group on Facebook

The group currently has 107 members, and is used to share news and publicize events planned for the garden.

CSU audio project

Raj Pillai recorded about 30 minutes of audio for the CSU project; some clips are already available at the web site.

Adult Education Class

Raj Pillai spoke about the India Garden to students enrolled in Mary Hamlin’s class on the Cleveland Cultural Gardens (offered through Baldwin Wallace).

Fundraising

One more sponsor came forward in 2009 to underwrite the cost of the granite gate being planned for the India Garden.  Additional sponsorships are still needed to make the plans a reality.

Raj Pillai, India Garden Delegate   January 4, 2010

The India Cultural Garden and Federation of India Community Association will mark Gandhi’s 140th birthday with a program at the Cleveland Library system’s MLK branch at 1962 Stokes Blvd (East 107th) between Euclid and Chester Avenues.  Congressman Dennis Kucinich will make the keynote address on “Gandhi in the Age of Global Slowdown”.  Sunday, October 4, 2009 at 2 to 5:30  PM.

Gandhi sculpture in India Cultural Garden