In the first two decades of the 21 st century, Ethiopia was known for massive human rights violations. In this sense, we are all Ethiopians.”īut for most of my adult life, the word “Ethiopia” was synonymous with poverty, famine and misery.Įthiopia, they said was the epicenter of “one of the worst humanitarian events of the 20th century.” Berit Reiss-Andersen, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee introducing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony affirmed, “Ethiopia is the cradle of humankind, the first homo sapiens emigrated from the territory in your country. Today, Ethiopia is described as the “Land of Origins”. In the tourist brochures, Ethiopia was described as “The Land of 13 Months of Sunshine”.
I was taught Ethiopia shall never falter because it is written, “Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.”
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Ethiopia is the land of the free never colonized and victorious over those who dared to try. After all, Ethiopia is a special place on earth and in the eyes of Heaven, Ethiopia is a scared land where the Ark of the Covenant rests and the Prophet Muhammad sent his first followers (the Sahabah) to flee persecution and seek refuge in the Christian Kingdom of Aksum. When I was a child, I was taught to be proud and develop a sense of Ethiopian exceptionalism. Ode to Unity Park in Addis Ababa, written following my visit on January 28, 2020 Made a right turn on a road named “Reconciliation and Forgiveness”Īnd that has made all the difference in the Story of All of Us!” They took the road marked ‘Peace and Prosperity’ “Thank God, our ancestors seized the moment Then let our “sons and your daughters prophesy, our young men see visions, and our old men dream dreams”Ī generation will walk in Unity Park and sigh in relief and pride: Rebuild our City Upon a Hill amidst a bed of new flowers To sing out loud our songs of peace, prosperity and unity Now is the time to write the new Story of All of Us To boldly declare our humanity in our diversity. To affirm in this hallowed park the sanctity of our unity To inscribe a new chapter filled with hope and optimism Is written the Story of All of Us in blood, sweat, tears and laughter. To do dastardly deeds and recite sublime poetry In this place where our ancestors came together in wisdom and folly On these grounds where we founded our nation’s capital In this place where they plotted and schemed On these grounds where our leaders prayed and sinned New flowers today sing in dazzling colors In this place where they stood silent sentry for a century On these grounds of promises made and promises broken Where horror, terror and torture were hid in a dungeon On these grounds where victory was conceived and defeat born Where hope and despair tangled to the bitter end There I found His(Her)story with a puzzled look The Story of All of Us: Ode to Unity Park in Addis Ababa Those who do not like what we do will oppose us. Those who do not understand what we do will criticize us.
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