ADDIS ABABA-The Ministry of Culture and Sport disclosed that the Co-existence Day, which aims to enshrine the long peace of the country, will be marked for four days nationally.
In a press briefing organized in connection with the celebration yesterday, Culture and Sport State Minister Workinesh Biru stated that the Coexistence Day will be marked from Monday to Thursday in various activities.
The state minister further noted that the main reason to mark the day is to strengthen the society’s long-cherished culture of co-existence and resolve common problems thereby ripening the fruit of development. “Coexistence is not a new phenomenon for Ethiopia but has existed for a long period of time and passed from one generation to another.”
She added, “Our forefathers and foremothers paid noble sacrifices to protect their dignity and to pass an independent country to this generation. Thus we need to sustain their success and accommodate different cultures, thinking and beliefs that would lay the foundation for peaceful co-existence.”
The current generation needs also to repeat the forefathers and mothers’ proud history by maintaining peaceful co-existence that defined the former in a good manner, Workinesh added.
According to her, the Coexistence Day celebration is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Sport in collaboration with the National Committee that is composed of the Ministry of Peace, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and among others.
The day will be marked under the theme of “living in diversity.”
Various activities including supporting the poor and voluntary programs are parts of the four-day event that would be held across the country. During the occasion, leaders of the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia expressed their desire to contribute for the peace building efforts and to promote peace among their respective followers.
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SPECIAL EDITION 31 DECEMBER 2023
