ETHIOPIA
© Tsigue Shiferaw
Venerable Ethiopia, the eldest child of independent Africa – and a nation often ravaged by famine and war – has just celebrated another 11 September. This date is a symbol of hope, as it marks the start of the third millennium in the Ethiopian calendar. The celebrations, which continue for a year, provide a unique opportunity for visitors to explore the country and its culture. Ethiopia is home to several World Heritage Site treasures and has produced a succession of remarkable artists as well as athletes who have won gold at the Olympics.
But this proud nation has much more to offer the world than just nostalgia for a great history. It has shown an incredible capacity for change to overcome the scourge of poverty caused to some extent by a lack of resources and a certain fatalism imposed by decades of dictatorship.
Ethiopia’s will to succeed is highlighted by its dynamic economy, which will grow even stronger when freedom of enterprise goes hand in hand with the freedom of speech. It is this flourishing Ethiopia of today that The Courier has set out to discover.
