WASHINGTON (October 31, 2018) -- The National Cherry Blossom Festival, with All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Howard University students and faculty, will plant cherry trees at Howard University on Thursday, November 1, beginning at 1:00 p.m. Students from the Howard University Early Learning Program and the Department of World Languages and Cultures will participate in the ceremony.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Neighborhood Tree Planting Program is an effort to celebrate and share the gift of cherry blossom trees throughout the DC-metro region. The program is a cornerstone of the Festival’s community outreach efforts, and helps create new National Cherry Blossom Festival traditions beyond the Tidal Basin.

“We are thrilled to embrace the cherry blossom’s historic significance to Washington by adding 5 trees to our campus,” says Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick. “Thank you to the National Cherry Blossom Festival for selecting Howard for this special gift, which will be enjoyed by the entire campus community for years to come.” 

###

Photograph credit: Tidal Basin during Peak Bloom, washington.org

Media note: The tree planting ceremony will be open to the press. High resolution photographs will be available upon request. Media interested in covering the event should arrive to the corner of Howard Place Northwest and Georgia Avenue Northwest, at 12:40pm. Contact Ramzey Smith, Ramzey.smith@howard.edu, or Nora Strumpf, nstrumpf@ncbfdc.org,to arrange any interviews.

About the National Cherry Blossom Festival

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is the nation’s greatest springtime celebration. The 2018 Festival, March 20 – April 15, includes four weeks of events featuring diverse and creative programming promoting traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty, and community spirit. Visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org or call 877.44.BLOOM for more information, or check out Facebook (CherryBlossomFestival), Twitter (@CherryBlossFest), and Instagram (@CherryBlossFest). 

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States.  For more information on Howard University visit www.howard.edu.