Just as Cincinnati’s first African-American mayor, Theodore M. Berry, strove to unite city residents for the common good, so does the Cincinnati Park named in his honor use art and nature to weave a collective thread between our city and those with whom we share international friendships.

The Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park, completed in 2003 along the Ohio River just east of downtown, is a sumptuous and award-winning display of sculpture and flora representing five continents and also featuring a riverside bike trail and walking paths.

Stroll the park’s Path of Nature to experience the structured beauty of a European garden, or the open freedom of an African savannah and the Australian outback. Scholar stones typical of Asian gardens inspire the imagination with their naturally fanciful shapes and beautiful markings.

For a marvelous display of international public art, stroll the Path of Man, which intertwines with the Path of Nature, so visitors are never far from a sensory treat. Sculptures featured along the Path of Man include the Castle of Air Pavilion, an artful place to rest at the Gaudi Bench, the prehistory-inspired Hands of the Land earth sculpture, and a huge sundial ringed with 150-year-old English oak tree trunks. The Clay,

Color and Fire mosaic is one stunning collaborative effort by artists from our sister cities who spent nearly a month working together in Cincinnati. The park also features a riverside bike trail.

“Celebrate hope, courage and freedom’s promise,” advised Ted Berry. The Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park is a perfect place to start.

Read more about our “sister cities” by visiting www.cincinnatisistercity.org. Sister City Coalition –Building Bridge, Connecting People, and Promoting Peace.