Some months ago, following the Great Ethiopian Homecoming Challenge, an initiative promoted by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for the Diaspora communities residing across the globe and Ethiopia’s friends to celebrate Ethiopian Christmas and Epiphany festivals (Gena and Timket) at their homeland, hundreds of thousands Ethiopian origins and Ethiopia’s friends have returned to the country.
Disproving the misinformation campaigns that were disseminated against the country by some media houses and entities, Ethiopians who are residing all over the world have reassured their commitment through responding to Premier’s call and flocking to their country of origin regardless of any differences.
The turnout of the Diaspora communities, in turn, has sent important lesson to Ethiopia’s enemies as Ethiopians never compromise on defending their national sovereignty, no matter where or at what situation they may be.
Currently, the second turnout is expected to take place as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed invited Muslims Diaspora communities to come home in the coming Holy month of Ramadan and celebrate Eid at their homeland by doing so to repeat the success of the Great Ethiopian Home Coming challenge that yielded encouraging outcomes as a result of the contribution by the diaspora.
To make the initiative a success, a national committee that facilitates various activities is established.
As Foreign Affairs State Minister, Ambassador Birtukan Ayano stated, more than 100,000 Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia are expected to come to Ethiopia as part of: “Eid al-Fitr to Eid al-Adha GreatHomeComing Initiative.” The program is expected to help build the country’s image by promoting Islamic values, religious coexistence, history, culture and Islamic heritage in Ethiopia.
The initiative, besides enhancing bilateral relations with the Middle East Countries, will also help to promote Ethiopia’s place in Islamic history to the world,.
The necessary preparations that include a number of events such as a Grand Eid Prayer ceremony, large public Iftar, planting seedlings, trade fairs, discussion forums, visits to tourist attractions, among other, are being underway, the committee indicated.
Speaking to The Ethiopian Herald, a prominent Islamic scholar and Ethio-Arab Relations Researcher, Assistant Professor Adem Kamil said that Ethiopia has an age-long history of accommodating people of various religions that was manifested by welcoming Companions of Prophet Muhammad in the first Hijrah.
Prophet Muhammad Himself testified Ethiopians’ hospitality to his Companions when the latter faced persecution from powerful Quraysh tribes in Mecca and told them to seek a refugee from a just and wise Ethiopian king. The Prophet Mohammed’s Companions settled in Abyssinia at the present place called Al-Negashi, in Eastern Tigray State.
“This journey which is referred to as the first Hijra is a living monument of the religious plurality and mutual coexistence in Ethiopia and made the latter the first country in the world to allow Muslims to practice their religion even before Saudi Arabia.”
The scholar stated; however, Ethiopia’s special place in Islam has not been properly articulated and documented thereby getting a proper place among the Muslim World. Accordingly, the coming of Diaspora Ethiopians to home country would avail the opportunity Muslims across the world about Ethiopia’s noble contribution for the free preaching of the religion.
Many have been yearning to visit Ethiopia because of its long standing historic and cultural connection to both Christianity and Islam. “The effort to welcome the Muslim Diaspora community as part of Great Ethiopian Home Coming through the “Eid al-Fitr to Eid al-Adha” initiative gives opportunities to let the world know about Ethiopia and its place in the Islam religion.”
What is more, the event is a great opportunity for the Diaspora community to show solidarity; and can serve as a mean to the nation to be one of the tourist destinations from the Arab world.
By the same token, the grand event is instrumental in countering smear campaigns that have been disseminated by some corporate media informing the global community about the country’s objective reality, he emphasized.
Ustaz Abubeker Ahmed, said that Ethiopians can well introduce their country, culture, social and religious coexistence as well as other crucial assets to the rest of the world; and the Muslim Diaspora community should come to home and mark the day with great responsibilities taking the event as a great advantage to show the world as Ethiopians have rich history that is deep-rooted in the values of each citizen.
He further said that Ethiopia has contributed a lot to Islam religion and to the Arab world as it has been playing a paramount role in promoting Islam being the first nation by peacefully welcoming Muslim migrants when the whole world was in a dark age. Hence, thinking Islam without Ethiopia and without Nejash is an absurd attempt, and Ethiopia was called the country of truth and justice by Prophet Mohammed.
The good deeds are not well understood by many Arab countries, “I hope this will be shaped to it natural reality”, he underlined. We are witnessing Ethiopians in the Arab countries are facing difficulties and persecutions for a number reasons that should not happen to them because the good deeds of the forefathers.
“Since all Muslims are indebted to this great nation, they are expected to respect the call and celebrate the festival at come. Since Ethiopia is a country where everyone is living respecting one another, this time-tested ethos and coexistence has to be well maintained,” he underlined.
“The celebration is a decisive time to awaken the tourism sector and investment as well trade along with the Diaspora communities and the Arab investors. Thus, we should join hands to welcome the Diaspora communities for productive return in many directions,” he added.
It is clear tourism brings huge economic potential for destination countries wishing to develop their tourism industry. Employment, currency exchange, imports and taxes are just a few of the ways that tourism can bring money into a destination. To maximize the importance, respective institutions and states should developed destinations as per the standards.
Committee members commented that the Eid al-Fitr-to-Eid al-Adha program would register successful results drawing invaluable experience from the #GreatEthiopianHomeComing.
BY MENGISETAB TESHOME
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 31 MARCH 2022
