International Immigrants Foundation Founder and President Educard Juarez seen greeting marchers at the conclusion of the Parade/Rally  Photos courtesy of Dan Miller/DMD IMAGESOnly two days after New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg went public on his proposal; to Congress for a national immigration policy for this country thousands of immigrants and their supporters from the four corners of the earth filled the The Avenue of the Americas with music, dance, and colorful costumes as they gathered in Manhattan on Saturday, June 26 to call on Washington to pass an immigration policy that would create a roadmap to citizenship, without detours, for millions of undocumented immigrants living in the united states.

  The event was the Silver Anniversary 25th Immigrants Parade/Rally, hosted by the International Immigrants Foundation, a not for profit, 501 © (3) charitable organization that is is dedicated to guiding, educating and inspiring immigrants to see their American dreams fulfilled though educational opportunities and social services.Mr. Edward Juarez joins marchers form Peru, many who live in Queens

  Mr. Edward Juarez, Founder and President of the International Immigrants Foundation held a press conference just prior his leading the organization’s 25th Silver Anniversary of the Immigrants Parade. The event was a peaceful demonstration of the ethnic and cultural pride exhibited by thousands of immigrants and their cultural organizations supporters who showed off their cultural and ethnic pride in this once a year event where the marchers share the beauty and uniqueness of their cultures.

Jamaican and Vietnamese delegation leaders pose for a picture together at Immigrants ParadeThe rally/parade was smaller than usual but effective nonetheless to exhibit the height of cultural pride. Marchers from different nations and from around this country joined local marchers from all of the five boroughs to show off colorful native costumes, sing traditional songs and show off some dance steps as the marchers stepped their way up Avenue of the Americas.

The International Immigrants Parade/Rally saw a cross section of the world converge in Manhattan, where thousands of participants from dozens of multicultural groups from New York City and the tri-state area were joined by friends and relatives from around the world to take part in the International Immigrants Parade/Rally.

International Immigrant’s Foundation Founder and President Edward Juarez said, "The parade/rally offers members of the multicultural communities of our society a sense of belonging, at the same time as we all get to celebrate their separate and very special identities. It’s an opportunity to strike a blow against ignorance and misunderstanding, which can divide us all."Portugal marchers came from all over Long Island to show their colors and ethnic pride

He further stated, "The Parade/Rally, now in its 25th consecutive year, enables participating communities to celebrate and share their cultures, express unity through diversity and contribute to making America the unique cultural mosaic that we all enjoy."　This colorful event included performances of traditional costumes and colorful dances, rhythms and music that created a spectacle that enabled the thousands of spectators to travel the world in one all-too-brief, unforgettable day. Many of the cultural groups stopped in front of Radio City Music Hall to show off their cultural dances. In particular the Tibet Women’s Association from Sunny side Queens chanted traditional songs as the men played traditional long horns. The Vietnamese delegation, the largest in the parade/rally) saw more than 1,500 marchers coming, from as far as South East Asia and California, to Texas, Tibet marchers carry photo the Dali Lama, religious leader of Tibet during Immigrants Parade on Avenue of the AmericasVancouver, Minnesota, Chicago, Florida, New Jersey and Long Island to show off their cultural pride. A thousand marchers from Portuguese heritage were mostly from Suffolk County on Long Island and Sunny side Queens was represented by many Tibetan marchers. Peruvians came mostly from Jackson Heights, Queens. The Sons and Daughters of Jamaica came from Brooklyn. Hundreds of Taiwanese marchers now live in Flushing Queens, the most diverse country in the United States, according to Queens Borough President, Helen Marshal, an immigrant from Guiana, herself.