The following article is inspired by an Italian-Ethiopian theatrical project that took place in Addis Ababa from April 4th to 25th this year. The event was promoted and hosted by the Italian Cultural Institute in Addis Ababa. The Italian Embassy in Addis and the Italian Cultural Institute have jointly hosted the theatrical event which was initially and apparently the brainchild of its director Matteo Spiazzi and others involved in the project which is the first of its kind to be presented in Addis Ababa.
According to information released prior to the event, the theatrical project known as ‘Family Album’ is a unique Italian-Ethiopian collaborative project that brings together the creative talents of both nations. Set against the backdrop of an Ethiopian family’s unconventional journey, this theatrical endeavor captures the essence of familial bonds, cultural diversity and the universal language of humor.
According to the same information, the organizers of the events were quoted as saying the following: “We are thrilled to present ‘Family Album’ an embodiment of the enduring friendship and cultural exchange between Italy and Ethiopia. Through this collaborative endeavor, we aim to celebrate diversity, foster mutual understanding and ignite joy within our community.”
Without going into the details of the dramatic presentation, we can perhaps say that it was an important artistic event in its own right. It can also serve as a pace setter that might inspire other foreign embassies and diplomatic missions to replicate this novel experience in their bid to bring their contributions and expand the horizon of this first initiative. This is also an experience worth emulating by other embassies and cultural missions in order to being together the experiences of diverse communities and nations which can serve as bedrock for promoting peace and mutual understanding among the peoples of the world.
How many foreign embassies are there in Addis Ababa? According to a March 2024 press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, the number of countries that have established embassies in Addis Ababa has reached 134. Presumably, all of them have their cultural attachments within the embassies’ compounds. By definition, or conventionally, cultural attachés have the main duty of promoting cultural exchanges with the host country. That is apparently why most, if not all, embassies have confined their activities within this assumption.
“A cultural attaché is a diplomat with varying responsibilities, depending on the sending status of the attaché. Historically such posts were filled by writers and artists, giving them a steady income, and allowing them to develop their own creative work while promoting their country’s culture abroad.”
Rare are those embassies that ventured out of their compounds and tried to reach the general public of the host nation and make contacts with ordinary people. Even though they practice what they call public diplomacy, their links with the local public leave much to be desired. Their public visibility through cultural events is below expectations although we pay due respect to their commitments to promoting the ideal of people- to-people cultural diplomacy.
There are of course exceptions to the rule. The Italian Cultural Institute, together with the Italian embassy’s cultural envoys plays a leading role in promoting cultural and artistic activities among the local public. Musical and film shows as well as stage drama and art exhibitions have been taking place for decades within the compounds of the institute that is also runs a full-fledged schools open to local and foreign students.
The American embassy, being one of the oldest and biggest embassies in the Ethiopian capital also promotes rare cultural events such as the annual Black History Month which is an event of great historical and cultural significance to Africans at home and in the Diaspora. The embassy is one of the busiest in hosting promoting developmental and related events that immensely benefit the local public both in the capital and in the rural areas.
The USAID has particularly proved itself, through decades of involvement, to be a committed and dependable development partner irrespective of the state of bilateral relations between the US and Ethiopia. The reason for the embassy’s relative invisibility in cultural diplomacy may be due to the US being one of the most powerful countries with the most formidable cultural institutions in the world which are promoted by its film and publishing industries to name but two of the leading global cultural forces.
However, since economic development and cultural exchanges are considered mutually complementary, one can expect that the embassy would revamp its cultural visibility in the Ethiopian capital with film shows, artistic exhibitions and other outlets to build on the spark that was recently ignited by the Italian embassy and its cultural institutes.
There are also other embassies that are interested in promoting the culinary cultures in order to make their foods and beverages known to the world and in Africa as well. The Japanese and other Asian embassies are known to host these kinds of events in Addis. There are also embassies that host music shows and art exhibitions, all of which are aimed at promoting multilateral cultural interactions at the public level.
Important arts events are taking place in Addis like the annual European film Festival, the Addis International film Festival while Black History month is observed annually under the auspices of the American embassy in the Ethiopian capital. Chinese, Japanese and other Asian embassies here in the capital organized culinary events such as promoting their specific cuisines and eating traditions in a bid to bridge the gap in knowledge between Asia and Africa in this specific area.
There are also embassies in Addis, whose main activities are geared towards promoting and organizing linguistic and literary events with the German language education at the centre of its activities. The Russian embassy is also engaged in promoting free scholarships to Ethiopian students that has been going on for many years now. At one point in the past, the Russian cultural centre in Addis Ababa was the most vibrant venue for the promotion of literature in Ethiopia.
The works of classical Russian authors were translated and disseminated in Ethiopia and this process had led to the emergence of many renowned Ethiopian writers who got inspiration from their readings of Russian classics. Russian historical films were also shown at the Old Russian Exhibition Centre and captivated the attention of the local public that was fond of going to the movies long before modern technology was introduced.
The bottom line is this: foreign embassies in the Ethiopian capital could as well play the vital role of cultural exchanges among nations and diverse communities, similar to the one recently shown by the Italian Cultural Institute. With time and sufficient efforts, these initiatives may also attract embassies from Africa that would participate in similar ventures or collaborative productions in films and theatres. The Ethiopian ministry of culture should therefore accord utmost attention and express strong commitment to the task of promoting cultural exchanges without sending envoys or cultural delegations abroad.
At the grassroots levels, cultural exchanges and the task of peace building are interconnected both at the domestic, national and global levels. Cultural activities are believed to help individuals and communities to build or rebuild their national identities. “Cultural activities allow individuals to build a new identity by taking part in theatrical activities, music performances and sports.”
The objectives of peace building at local, national and global levels are well-documented. “Peace-building is the development of constructive personal, group and political relationships across ethnic, religious class, national and religious boundaries. “Culture has also a positive impact on world peace. “Culture significantly influences peacemaking strategies by shaping communicative style , conflict resolution methods, and perceptions of peace. Culture is a complex web of shard beliefs, norms and practices that characterize a group of people.”
Addis Ababa is already famous for serving as the diplomatic center of Africa where most African countries have their embassies and diplomatic missions stationed and where important cultural and artistic vents are taking place. Addis is also the largest conference centre in Africa and the hub of African diplomacy as well. The proliferation of modern hotels, tourist attractions and recreational and business facilities make the Ethiopian capital the ideal venue for artists, celebrities and researchers who want to study Africa as a whole or Ethiopia in particular.
There is of course a great potential for making Addis Ababa the hub of local, African and foreign cultural activities and exchanges, whose potential impacts and implications might go beyond temporary publicity to capture the attention of the general public whose direct participation might also help make such ventures more permanent and more institutionalized and more effective in promoting peace and understanding among different nations and cultures, ultimately contributing to peace building and to the emergence of a more stable global order.
BY MULUGETA GUDETA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 18 MAY 2024
