By: Naveed Miraj & Shahid Qureshi
ISLAMABAD: The Ethiopia Embassy in Islamabad celebrated its 18th Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Day on Thursday, with the esteemed presence of a significant number of Ethiopian Diaspora in Pakistan, media, civil society, and friends of Ethiopia.
The celebration unfolded vibrantly at the Embassy of FDRE Ethiopia in Islamabad, featuring cultural performances and an Ethiopian coffee ceremony to showcase the diverse culture of the FDR Ethiopia.
Addressing the gathering, Jemal Beker Abdula, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the FDR Ethiopia to Pakistan, highlighted the significance of Ethiopia’s 18th Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Day. He emphasized the strong foundation laid by the nations, nationalities, and peoples of Ethiopia through the ratification of Ethiopia’s Constitution on December 8, 1994.
This constitution recognized and transformed diversity into a source of strength and wealth, ensuring democratic order, lasting peace, and progress in political, economic, and social matters based on equality and justice.
On this auspicious day, Ambassador Jemal Beker said that a seed of harmony planted in Ethiopia’s diverse soil, evolving into a majestic tree flourishing with the spirit of unity, tolerance, compassion, and Ethiopianism.
He stressed the importance of Ethiopia’s diversity as a strength and called for collective efforts to contribute to unity, compassion, harmony, peace, and prosperity, building an ideal and strong nation for future generations. Referring to the current generation as “Medemer,” he envisioned them leaving a lasting legacy.
Ambassador Beker highlighted the need for nations to understand each other, strengthen fraternity, live in harmony, and collaborate to face challenges for a strong, resilient, and prosperous Ethiopia. Acknowledging the challenge of hybrid warfare faced by both Ethiopia and Pakistan, he emphasized the necessity of bilateral cooperation to address this issue.
The ambassador discussed the initiation of bilateral cooperation in climate change, with the launch of the Green Legacy Initiative in Pakistan. He underscored their commitment to defending Ethiopia’s sovereignty, diversity, and the aspirations of its nations, positioning Ethiopia as a symbol of peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.
