One World Day celebrates Cleveland’s international communities and newly naturalized citizens

Five years after applying to become a U.S. citizen, Clive Robinson was naturalized at One World Day at Cleveland’s Cultural Gardens on Sunday. 

Robinson, who was born in Jamaica, said he came to the United States because there is a lot of opportunity here. While the process was not easy, he is happy to be a citizen. 

“The process was nerve-racking, because you have to provide so many documents,” Robinson said. “At the end of the day it was lengthy, but worth it.”

He said the ceremony was moving for him because he is finally naturalized. “Now, I am a citizen,” he said. 

One World Day is an annual festival that celebrates Cleveland’s diversity and international communities. Every year, it is held in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens in Rockefeller Park on the city’s east side. This year’s events included the naturalization ceremony, activities at each cultural garden, food trucks, and a children’s village. 

Along with Robinson, 24 other people became naturalized at the ceremony that helped kick off the festival. U.S. District Court judge Philip Calabrese called each person to the stage one by one, handing them a certificate representing their citizenship. 

David Schinckel and Sarah Lee, husband and wife, both became citizens with their daughters watching in the audience. As the ceremony ended, Lee’s daughter ran up to her mother and embraced her. 

“The ceremony was more impactful than I thought it would be,” Schinckel said. 

They both came to the U.S. from New Zealand for work purposes, and their daughters were both born in the U.S. “Cleveland is the place to raise a family,” Schinckel said. 

In recent years, Cleveland has been trying to increase the number of immigrants who come here in order to increase its population and grow its economy. Organizations like Global Cleveland and US Together help immigrants like those naturalized at One World Day get settled in Cleveland. They also help attract immigrants and refugees to Northeast Ohio, and once they’re here, help them develop connections, access job opportunities, and even start businesses. 

After the naturalization ceremony, a parade of flags from each country participating in One World Day, including Pakistan, Italy, and India, walked down Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, which was closed to cars. Clevelanders watched from the sidewalk and kids sat on their parents’ shoulders as they walked through the parade and an announcer introduced each country. 

When the parade was over, people were welcome to walk through each garden, complete various activities, try foods from different cultures, or shop at tables outside the gardens. 

Jordan Rogoff, her husband, and two sons visited some of the gardens, completing the children’s activities with her young boys. 

“I remember coming here when I was younger,” Rogoff said. “I came because I wanted my kids to be familiar with different cultures, different people, and different places.” 

Rogoff’s younger son said his favorite part was “eating the cookie” at the Irish garden. The children at One World Day were given “passports” that were stamped at each garden they visited. “I really like the passport activity, it gives little kids a chance to go up and engage,” his mother said. 

According to Dan Hansen, marketing and media director for One World Day, the celebration broke records for attendance and participation, with an estimated 50,000 people in attendance over the course of the day, according to Cleveland police. There were over 1,500 marchers from 53 different heritages in the parade. The newer gardens (such as French, Uzbek, Colombian, Ethiopian, and Egyptian) attracted visitors. Also popular were the beer gardens in the German, Irish, and Serbian gardens. 

According to Hansen, several gardens participated for the first time. The Pakistani Cultural Garden raised its flag for the first time, with the help of the Consul General of Pakistan from Chicago. Another garden that had its first appearance was the Native American Cultural Garden. Finally, other first-time communities included Iran, Kazakhstan, Palestine, Dominican Republic, Morocco, and Bangladesh, Hansen said. 

“It shows the heritages being represented and just brings the community together,” he said of the festival. 

Learn more about the Cleveland Cultural Gardens here.