The 30th International Cultures Parade
New York, NY 10001, June 18, 2015 (Newswire.com) - On Saturday June 20th 2015, starting at 12 noon, representatives from the multicultural communities from the New York metro area will gather on Avenue of the Americas, between 42nd and 57th Streets, to participate in the 30th International Cultures Parade, led by its founder, Mr. Edward Juarez.
Throughout the 1980’s, the United States was going through one of the most challenging multicultural confrontations causing deadliest riots in Miami since the 1960s. The 1980 riots rose after the acquittal for manslaughter and evidence tampering of four Miami-Dade Police officers in the death of Arthur McDuffie, an African-American, who died from injuries sustained at the hands of the four white police officers trying to arrest him. In 1981 Dade County paid McDuffie's family a settlement of $1.1 million after they filed a civil lawsuit against the officials.
30th International Cultures Parade Organized since 1986 by the IMMIGRANT's FOUNDATION Guiding, Leading & Empowering Immigrants since 1973 United Nations NGO ECOSOC
At that time, our cities were very segregated. Groups gathered together to celebrate their culture and their events were promoted and attended by their own people. The national sentiment and the division that existed among the different communities motivated Mr. Edward Juarez to promote healing. By bringing together the multicultural leadership and their communities, Mr. Juarez and the group established an Annual International Cultures Parade. A truly multicultural public event of this sort was never tried before in the history of the country. The unprecedented nature of this collaboration caused elected officials and the office of the Mayor of the City of New York to consider the idea dangerous with possible bloodshed; as result, elected officials refrained from any participation or support.
Determined to move forward with the support of the NY Police Department, Mr. Juarez independently met with the presidents of the existing cultural parades of NYC to present them with the idea. After Mr. Juarez received an overwhelming approval and support, the leadership of the many cultural communities agreed to participate leaving aside their political and religious beliefs. The first parade was scheduled for October 28, 1986, in commemoration of the centennial of the Statue of Liberty Celebration in downtown Manhattan.
The morning of October 28th arrived with stormy, wet weather. Mr. Juarez dressed up and went to the meeting place on Broadway and Canal St very early in the morning but thinking that no one will come. Nevertheless, as time was getting closer to the midday hour, the miracle occurred. The leadership of the diverse cultural communities, along with tens of thousands of people, dressed up in their national costumes with their musical instruments ready to celebrate dancing their way down Broadway towards Battery Park! Parading in alphabetical order, Chinese from mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan assembled respecting each other’s political views on the One China policy. Greeks, Turks, Cypriots and Macedonians respected each other over their national conflicts. Indus, Pakistanis and Sikhs; Europeans, South Americans, Africans showcased the true melting pot of our nation. Although it rained during the complete event, the International Cultures Parade manifested as a dream like traveling around the world in one day, asserting the belief of our forefathers of one United States of America, said Mr. Juarez.
The parade grew year by year until 2010, when the foundation and the event were reduced over political allegations. Each and every allegation was subsequently withdrawn by the NY Attorney General t in May 2013.
This Saturday, June 20th 2015, Mr. Juarez, who has dedicated his life to further the cause of Immigrants, celebrates 30 uninterrupted years leading this event and its mission to highlight the contribution of all immigrants and specially the millions of the undocumented population of the United States.
The Parade showcases the cultures and arts of the New Americans of today! The culture mix will be as diverse as New York itself. Each block will transform into the main stage featuring cultural presentations from the small plains of Albania to the Himalaya’s mountain of Tibet folk dancing and singing.
The 30th Immigrant’s Parade will enable thousands of spectators to assemble on Avenue of Americas, to experience the beauty of unity in diversity.
With participation of the multicultural communities of our nation, the Immigrant’s Parade offers an unrivaled spectacle of civic pride that will feature one of the biggest displays of music, colorful costumes, and traditional dancing from many corners of the world. The Immigrants Parade is “a unique and befitting tribute to the gorgeous cultural mosaic that makes up our Nation”, stated the founder Edward Juarez.
Everyone is invited!