Diaspora Forum

Newsletter 18

The Only Home We Have

 The days before the Ethiopian Millennium are numbered.  Preparation is underway to celebrate

the Millennium in a festive mood.  A National Secretariat is established to organize the

celebration as an African Millennium.  And Seyoum Bereded from the Diaspora, is

in the driving seat as the General Director.  He speaks about the Ethiopian

 Diaspora's involvement in the Celebration of the

Ethiopian New Millennium.

Newsletter:   Why do we celebrate the Ethiopian Millennium? 

Seyoum:   There are two main reasons why the Ethiopian Millennium will be uniquely celebrated.  First, it can serve both as a milestone and a threshold.  As a milestone, the new millennium offers a unique opportunity to measure the road covered over the past 2,000, 1,000 or 100 years and even a year.  It offers a chance to take stock of how far we have come as a nation and reflect on where we must go to achieve a lasting peace and prosperity, a more developed and peaceful country for  all of us.  Besides, as a threshold, it will be significant because it makes our entry into the third Millennium. 

Newsletter:  What do you expect from Ethiopian Diaspora regarding the Millennium celebration? 

Seyoum:  The Ethiopian Diaspora should get involved and take   this Ethiopian New Millennium celebration seriously, because this is a unique opportunity in a thousand years.  The Ethiopian Diaspora has got all the resources to contribute       to  the  millennium celebration events.  Ethiopia has got so many problems and so many success stories as well.  Those problems regarding the youth, unemployment, HIV, malaria, gender equality need to be discussed by the members of the Diaspora in the event.  They should bring in their experience and transfer the positive elements and come up with a national vision.  I hope Ethiopians who live abroad can contribute their part to this celebration. 

Newsletter:  Can you tell us some of the programmes involving the Diaspora for the celebration? 

Seyoum:  There are different events which actually involve both Ethiopians who live abroad and at home.  To mention but a few there will be sport activities, and festivals of various types.  So members of the Ethiopian Diaspora would have an opportunity to come   home   and   be  able  to  enjoy various cultural shows and other events   along     with    their    brothers, sisters, families and compatriots in general. 

There are initiatives and proposals regarding Millennium book drive where people would be able to contribute text books for universities and schools.  In the Ethiopian New Millennium celebration much emphasis will also be given to environmental protection.  There will be tree plantation programme across the nation.  Here, again, the Ethiopian Diaspora would have an opportunity to plant those trees and contribute their part in the conservation of the environment.  Other initiatives like the cultural dressing events where people would wear the various nations and nationalities cultural and traditional clothes is also  part of this programme.  Generally, at all  events  of  the  celebration, the Ethiopian Diaspora will have fun and at the same time discharge responsibilities as duty-bound citizens through active participation in the celebrations. 

Newsletter:  Have you so far enlisted cooperation from members of Ethiopian Diaspora? 

Seyoum:  Yes.  There are individuals and groups from different parts of the world who forwarded their proposals which are very interesting and very timely.  So, we are trying to use them.  In general, we have had phone calls, E-mail messages from members of Ethiopian Diaspora from North America to Australia, from Middle East to Europe and Africa in support of the Ethiopian Millennium celebration.  We will be happy and we will be excited about it.

Newsletter:  Do you have message for the Diaspora? 

Seyoum:  My message is come home, let's have fun, let's internalize our problem.  Ethiopia is blessed with fascinating natural resources and a hard working people.  This is an opportunity which comes only once in a thousand years.  We hope we are going to press better Ethiopia to the new generation.  As this country provided us with free education, free health services, this should be the time for Ethiopian Diaspora to pay back to their country.  We should put aside our differences and work for the betterment of our country.  At the end of the day, it is our home; this is the only home we have!