Dr. Eyob Mamo, is a psychologist and writer of several books including Leadership A to Z. For him, New Year is a time where we praise of heavenly father, celebrate with families and friends and evaluate our previous year’s performance so as to achieve better goal.
Hope is the energy for every individual. Within every New Year, a new hope kindles within individuals and it leave behind and discard the old, unnecessary matters and capitalize on what is new and fresh as it comes with new hope and vision.
According to Dr. Eyob, when we say New Year brings new hope, we should plan in advance. However, this should not be done just for the sake of planning. It should be genuine ones that can guide us towards our destiny. What is more, we should also set a time frame to achieve those goals. After setting goals, what we need to do is, exerting all the energy needed for that particular plan. Forgiveness is the other issue that Dr. Eyob and this journalist discussed. According to him, whenever the New Year comes, people have to learn to forgive others. “When we learn to forgive others we are setting our mind free from unnecessary burden. Whenever we forgive others, we forgive ourselves.” After forgiving that person we should balance our friendship and handle it carefully.
Zelalem Merawi is the founder and CEO of Zelalem Tour and Travel Agency. For Zelalem, New Year is always accompanied with new hope. “Whenever we celebrate New Year, we expect something new that we missed within the old year. For this reason, most of us consider New Year as a “second chance” to start again with a new spirit.”
In fact, the challenges that came to happen in the outgoing Ethiopian year, including the incidence of the Coronavirus pandemic and conflicts that have occurred in some parts of the country seemed to overshadow country’s overall activities. However, this does not mean that we have no hope or any future. We are about to join the New Year. This is a great opportunity for each and every one of us. Using the past mistakes as a lesson, we should proceed to better future.
According to him, New Year is all about a new hope. While celebrating it, we should learn the art of sharing with others. “Zelalem Tour and Travel Agent together with its sister firm have a good experience in this regard. Despite all the economic challenges, we are accustomed with helping those Ethiopians in need of our help. This must be the culture of every Ethiopians. Supporting others does not always need financial muscle. All it needs is the will.”As to Zelalem, the outgoing year has seen several challenges here in Ethiopia. However, it does not mean we will be crippled with that. We should change our adversaries in to opportunity. We should use all the problems to find solution.
No matter how hard the situation was, Ethiopians have witnessed their togetherness within those hard times. They have attested the world how committed they are to defend their country. This sentiment should be repeated in other sectors as well. The more we unite for the good of the nation, the more we can make a difference. In this regard, every individual is duty bound to stand guard for his/her nation. Every scholar, every laborer, every professional has responsibility in building the new Ethiopia and speeding its prosperity.
Belete Getachew, is Ethiopian Insurance Corporation, Human Resource Management Director. For him, New Year is all about new hope where one plans in advance for better future, better days. The outgoing year has been a year crammed with several ups and downs. But, it has left us with lots of lessons. In this regard, while welcoming the New Ethiopian Year, everyone is responsible to respect the right of others and learn the culture of sharing.
According to him, whenever one thinks about New Year, the issue of peace is always there. Without peace and stability receiving New Year is meaningless. For this very reason, everyone should contribute his/her share in ensuring nation’s peace and security.
Wendm Teklu, is Deputy CEO of the Ethiopian Press Agency. For him, every year has variables within it. Depending on the nature of the person and his/her responsibilities, individuals pass through both success and challenges.
According to him, every New Year comes with a new hope and within those hopes there are goals. These goals could be at individual level, group level or country level. Achieving those goals and plans needs common understanding and commitment.
Over the past three years, the nation had been through reformation and transformation. While performing this, it has achieved scores of successes and encountered challenges. This is especially true in the outgoing year where the nation faces challenges from internal as well as external enemies. However, those hurdles have brought important opportunities- make Ethiopians stand together and further cemented the strong bondage that has existed for centuries.
Wendm also said that Ethiopia is a great nation with deep historical background. What it needs now is committed sons and daughters who sacrifice their interest for the sake of their nation and the people in general.
Indeed, Ethiopia is a great nation with a great history. It is the land of origin for humankind as well as civilization. While modernization and civilization hardly existed in other world, Ethiopia is a country with the notion of “classical civilizations”. While the concept of unity in diversity was not in existence in the books of great scholars, Ethiopia was practicing it. This is a nation with century old experience of tolerance and togetherness.
Ethiopia had faced (is still facing) challenges and has successfully overcome them. Passing through challenges is/was not something new to Ethiopia. At the same time, it has never given its hand to its adversaries. This is the true nature of Ethiopia and Ethiopians.
Today, Ethiopians are marking Ethiopian New Year-2014. The outgoing 2013 Ethiopian year was a time where internal as well as external pressures mounted up on the nation. However, thanks to the combined hands of Ethiopians, the nation has successfully overcome them. Despite the pressure of others and attempts to ruin Ethiopia`s unity, the nation has prevailed. With all hardships; with all challenges, Ethiopia has stood firm through the storms of all adversaries. And nothing will stop Ethiopia from achieving its vision.
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
The Ethiopian Herald 11 September 2021
