Menelik Hall Foundation
Menelik Hall Foundation is a charitable 501(c) (3) foundation who promotes cultural understanding, the assimilation of newly arrived Ethiopian immigrants in the City of Cleveland and has provided help for many students.
It has provided school books, medical textbooks, medical equipment, and provided start-up support educational and cultural organizations.
It has had a long series of historical and cultural programs, and established a Sister City relationship with Bahir Dar, Ethiopia in 2004.
Currently it is sponsoring, designing, and constructing an Ethiopian Cultural Garden in Cleveland Cultural Garden Park.
Ethiopian Cultural Garden - Cleveland
Cleveland Cultural Garden Park began over 100 years ago, the only park of its kind worldwide,
a peace garden demonstrating unity of purpose and showcasing fascinating cultural and ethnic diversity.
As the 37th nation, but first from Africa Ethiopia will have a place (garden) representing it's rich history and heritage.
And, Menelik Hall Foundation has been the Umbrella required for this project.
Project Details
There are 3 major structures we are building in this garden.
Ethiopian Cultural Garden Design
The largest, and center-piece, will be an Axum stele silhouette, 30 feet tall of solid stone, weighing about 50 tons.
We will also have a 27 ton replica of one of the 11 monolithic churches of Lalibela doorways as a second structure in the garden.
The third structure, which is constructed as first phase of the project and unveiled in a ceremony that took place on August 24, 2019, is a wall structure.
The wall is 13 feet tall, 18 feet wide, designed by Zerihun Yetmgeta, with five panels, similar to his style of
painting on connected strips of bamboo, depicting heritage and history of Ethiopia. It is a mosaic with tile panels fabricated by Ernesto Spinelli, our mosaic artist.
Heritage and History of Ethiopia Depiction
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Ethiopian Cultural Garden is the only such monument to Ethiopia outside of the country itself.
We have raised enough of the funding to cover much of Phase 1 of this project,
but about $24,000 more is needed to fully complete Phase One obligations;
then to progress to Phases Two and Three, about $250,000 more is needed.
Phase 1 was completed and unveiled in a ceremony that took place on August 24, 2019.
Phase 1 had cost well over $50,000, for which we greatly thank our local Ethiopian Community
and Friends of Ethiopia, and the support of a grant from the Holden Trust Fund, although we are still short.
Visit Ethiopian Cultural Garden Facebook page for pictures.
Mission
Menelik Hall promotes cultural understanding, the assimilation of newly arrived Ethiopian immigrants
in the City of Cleveland and has provided help for many students. It has provided school books, medical textbooks,
medical equipment, and providedstart-up support educational and cultural organizations.
It has had a long series of historical and cultural programs,and established a Sister City relationship with
Bahir Dar, Ethiopia in 2004. Currently it is sponsoring, designing, andconstructing an Ethiopian Cultural Garden
in Cleveland Cultural Garden Park.