AU SUMMIT CALLS ON AFRICAN COUNTRIES TO JOIN ETHIOPIA

[fagash_killer]

AU summit calls on African countries to join Ethiopia in celebration of its millennium
Addis Ababa, January 31, 2007 (Addis Ababa) - The 8th African Union Summit has called up on African countries to join Ethiopia in celebrating the up coming Ethiopian new millennium, Foreign Minster Seyoum Mesfin said.

Briefing journalists at the conclusion of the summit on Tuesday, Seyoum said Africa has accepted Ethiopian millennium as an African millennium.


Ethiopia is the only country in the world that has not yet celebrated its millennium, Seyoum said, adding, this unique event should be celebrated colorfully not only in Ethiopia but also across Africa.


The celebration of the Ethiopian millennium would be started as of September 12, 2007.


The Ethiopian government has already established Millennium Festival National Council Secretariat to celebrate the millennium colorfully.

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[fagash_killer]

AU decision to make Ethiopian Millennium African festival said great diplomatic, moral victory
Addis Ababa, January 31, 2007 (Addis Ababa) - The resolution passed by the 8th AU Summit to celebrate the Ethiopian Millennium as African millennium is a great diplomatic and moral victory to all Ethiopians, the Ethiopian Millennium Festival National Council Secretariat said.

The Secretariat told Ethiopian News Agency on Wednesday that the inclusion of the Ethiopian Millennium celebration as one of the summit agenda indicates the attention the Summit paid for all Africans.


Ethiopia's calendar is among the national features that makes it unique among African countries, it said.


The fact that Addis Ababa is the second city for all Africans and its being home of the AU are among the reasons that give the Ethiopian Millennium an African face, the secretariat added.


The fact that the decision was taken in the presence of several African Heads of State and Government, representatives of various international organizations, and the new UN Secretary General will add inputs for the colorful celebration of the upcoming Ethiopian Millennium.


Though other Africans and Europeans celebrated their Millennium seven years ago, the decision passed by the AU summit to celebrate the Ethiopian Millennium as an African Millennium provided them with another opportunity to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.


The opportunity the millennium festival offers to promote good images of Ethiopia would also favor Africa, it said.


The secretariat said the summit’s decision can be taken as a satisfactory response to the call made by the Secretariat to friends of Ethiopia across the world to name the period between September 2000 E.C and September 2001 E.C. (equivalent to Sept. 11, 2007 through September 11 , 2008) "Ethiopian Year."


According to the Secretariat, the decision of the summit would scale up the efforts Ethiopia is exerting for development, democratization and good governance as well as to promote its good images.


The decision passed by the African Heads of State and Government to make the Ethiopian Millennium and African Millennium is an indication of the value they attached with and their sense of ownership towards Ethiopian Millennium festival, the secretariat added.


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[highclass]

Will there be a celebration in Xamar???

[fagash_killer]

what do you think

picture ethiopian and tfg troops and reer muqadisho singing and waving ethiopian flags in peace

[Karbaash_killa]

SOmaliland and Puntland already are so why dont we

[Karbaash_killa]

SOmaliland and Puntland already are so why dont we

[fagash_killer]

Never miss Ethiopian Millennium celebrations, hospitality

Editorial

The Ethiopian Herald

May 04, 2007

The United Nations World Tourism Organization African Commission (UNWTO CAF) General Secretary Francesco Frangialli urged African countries to put more effort into exploiting the untapped tourism resources in the continent for realizing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), alleviating poverty and achieving sustainable development. The secretary general made the remark in a speech he delivered to the 45th UNWTO CAF meeting which is underway in Addis Ababa .

The General Secretary lauded that the achievements Ethiopia has made in the tourism sector are exemplary to the rest of the countries in Africa . President Girma-Wolde-Giorgis in his opening address also said though Africa is a continent of natural beauty and immense resources for development, protecting its heritages, environmental Vulnerability, capacity building constraints as well as poor infrastructure are the daunting challenges the continent faces (The Ethiopian Herald, 3 May 2007 ).

As Ethiopia is preparing to celebrate its millennium which is also African Millennium, it sees tourism as an important vehicle for development. The country has huge potentials for tourism. To that end, the country has taken a number of steps to exploit its tourist potentials. Of course, the country has made tremendous achievements in the sector. The fact that the country has been nominated as one of the potential candidates for award in tourism clearly shows the efforts it is making to enhance tourism development and apparently, attain its development ideals.

It is unfortunate that the country has been depicted just as poor and famine-stricken for several decades in the past. But Ethiopia is so rich in its natural, cultural and religious heritages creating a living memory to the tourists who once visited the country. This time around, Ethiopia is very busy preparing itself so as to present itself to the outside world come the new millennium.

As far as tourism is concerned, Ethiopia is a real paradise. With breathtaking landscapes and living history, the country is most loved by tourists and historians. The northern part of the country is endowed with incredible remnants of ancient civilizations and the earliest moments of Christianity and Islam. And the south is full of endemic species and stunning birdlife alongside ancient tribes still living today as they have done for thousands of years. Ethiopia offers a tourist potential far beyond the big game and traditional souvenirs of its fellow African states.

Hence, it is an opportune moment for Ethiopia to host the 45th UNWTO CAF meeting as the country is under preparation to celebrate its millennium. It is hoped that the meeting will come up with recommendations to overcome Africa ’s challenges in management and development of tourism. It is also expected the UNWTO CAF will assist Ethiopia in promoting its tourism potentials for the millennium celebrations.

Ethiopia has demonstrated its commitment by registering successive economic growth over the years. While agriculture was the major contributor to the growth registered, the tourism sector has also significantly contributed to the achievements made.

The Ethiopian government is determined more than ever to repeat the achievements it has made in the past. Ethiopia acknowledges the recognition it has been given over the achievements in tourism and it serves the country as a fresh impetus for further attainments.

Sizing this opportunity, the Ethiopian people and government would like to cordially invite all Africans, the international community, tourists, journalists, artists and other distinguished personalities to join the Ethiopian Millennium celebrations. In this historic moment, the Ethiopian people and government will be very much honored to show the Ethiopian hospitality to the entire world.

Never miss the grand Ethiopian Millennium celebrations and the traditional Ethiopian hospitality!

[fagash_killer]

Japan joins in Ethiopian millennium celebrations
Addis Ababa, May 5, 2007 (Addis Ababa) - Amidst preparations have got well in the pipeline to organize colorful events in Japan as part of celebration of the Ethiopian Millennium Festival, Mocha Ethiopia Dance Group, a cross-cultural ensemble founded by the Ethiopian Embassy in Japan and Japanese friends of Ethiopia, have been here to put together Ethiopian sights and sounds they are planning to promote during the coming months after they get back to Japan.

On Friday, the Mocha dance group were received by officials of the National Millennium Festival Council Secretariat, who provided a briefing to the visitors about what the Millennium festival sets out to accomplish. It was said on the occasion that the activities by the dance troupe will also help strengthen the Ethio-Japan cultural ties.


On the occasion, the members of the Mocha Ethiopia said preparations have been in the pipeline well ahead of the planned celebrations of Ethiopian Millennium in Japan during the Ethiopian 13th month of Puagmen (a five or six days period that falls in September).


At the event, they said, traditional dance shows of Japan and Ethiopia will be staged before a big gathering, who will be enjoying an Ethiopian traditional cuisine and watching an Ethiopian fashion show.


A renowned Japanese professor, who has studied Ethiopian traditional musical instruments will be presenting a relevant demonstration, where also promotional programs are due to take place that aim at building on Ethiopia's image.


The members came here to also have their pictures taken with their counterparts of the Ethiopian National Theathre, which will be desplayed at the planned event in the Japanese capital, Tokiyo.


The name Mocha shows the Japanese liking of Ethiopian coffee. They said, though Africa is far away from Japan, the peoples of Ethiopia and Japan share common values.


One of the members of Mocha Ethiopia, Tomoko Ishikawa, said as the group sets out to redress misconceptions about Ethiopia, its activities will go down in history as a worthwhile endeavor.


The other member Junko Yamamto on her part said the Japanese, who knew that the European millennium has already passed, are astonished when they hear about the preparation of the Ethiopian millennium celebration.


Hence, she said the occasion is a good opportunity to introduce and promote the unique Ethiopian calender - an ancient one, which is said to be neither gregorian, nor Julian.


The culture of Ethiopians of sharing what they have is respected by Japanese people and as a group, she said, "we want to show this positive value to the rest of the world".


The group performed the Ethiopian and Japanese cultural dances in the city of Adama at two schools.


The dance group which is assisted by the ministry of foreign affairs is to leave for Japan on May 6.

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