ADDIA ABABA – Ethiopia is rolling up sleeves to colorfully celebrate two big festivals— Meskel and Irrecha— jewels in its intangible heritage list this September. As such tourists’ flow is going to make an upward swing, disclosed Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MoCT).
Tariku Negash ,acting communication Director at The Ministry, told The Ethiopian Herald that this September , Meskel recorded in UNESCO’s intangible Heritage list and one of the Geda system figure Irrecha will be celebrated warmly in the presence of local and international tourists.
Meskel and Irrecha are expected to display an up surge on the country’s tourism movement. Inline with the celebration, international and local events such as exhibitions, bazars, symposiums, and discussion forums will be held with the presence of elders and religious leaders as well as other stakeholders, he said.
As to him, the number of tourists visiting Ethiopia has been increasing after 2013, which was the year that Meskel was inscribed by UNESCO on its list of intangible cultural heritages. And the high season for Ethiopian tourism movement is starting from September and will last until January. “We can say that the international tourists flow for these festivals is growing very high,” he added.
The number of local tourists is also increasing on September to attend the celebration of Irecha and Meskel. It is usual that Peoples travel highly from one place to another to celebrate Meskel with their family. Millions of people also travel to celebrate Irrecha in the places it will be held. The festivals creat a good opportunity to improve the tourism sector, Tariku stated.
MoCT also expects that the local tourist number will increase to more than 25 million in this fiscal year from that of the past year which was 23 million. So Meskel and Irrecha will take the higher contribution on the tourism sector.
He added there is a long-standing coexistence and respecting each other’s cultures in the country. There is a culture that international tourists come and visit with good hospitality that makes themselves feel at home and safe. The security issue is the community’s responsibility along with the security experts and it will be safe, said Tariku.
Meskel is one of Ethiopian Orthodox church festival, which has a religious background. The Orthodox followers commemorate the Meskel festival, the founding of the true cross on which Jesus was crucified. And also Irrecha is a thanksgiving festival celebrated by Oromos ethnic groups to thank God for the year blessing when the end of rainy season. The festival has been celebrated specially in Bishoftu Town of Oromia State and it will also be celebrated colorfully in the capital Addis beginning this year.
The Ethiopian Herald Sept 22/2019
BY GENET FEKADE
