H A P P Y 30TH A N N I V E R S A R Y

The Ethiopian Community Association of Victoria (ECAV) will mark its 30th anniversary in 2015 (more story http://www.simenehmakonnen.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/the-launching-of-ethiopian-community.html).

Since its establishment, in 1985, ECAV has served not only as the social hub for Ethiopians living in Victoria, but also organizing annual Ethiopian cultural and sports festivities such as soccer tournament competitions for all Ethiopians living in Australia and New Zealand during annual Christmas break times and celebrating Ethiopian New Years by inviting popular and famous Ethiopian celebrities and musicians.

In its 30 years operation, the community has endured enormous challenges and achieved significant contributions amid struggling to keep members and attract more new comers because of the political changes in the country.

I hear and see celebrations of all sorts from around Australia and abroad by diaspora Ethiopians about all kinds of achievements and establishments of their communities and organizations alike. Needless to say, this is a significant celebration for all of us. Our Victorian, Australian, community can still develop reflecting on what they have accomplished over the last thirty years & strife to maintain their goal for economically independent association where they can increase their services and initiate to launch more programs such as “my brother’s keeper”, a new pathways by addressing compulsory and growing needs for all younger generations who are faced with disproportionate challenges & trends of obstacles in their daily lives, the program which will empower them & finally paving the way to their success.

I’m so delighted to see our community for all Ethiopians marks its thirtieth anniversary since its establishment and indebted to everyone who have involved in its development in the process so far. There is still more to be done sustaining our solidarity among all Ethiopians. It’s my hope that the community will continue to fulfil its objectives and my pledge wouldn’t fall on deaf ears that I sincerely ask the community to keep a timetable to organize a celebration of unity, like all other diaspora communities, that will include a recognition ceremonial for the past & present founding members & those who have made substantial contributions to the community over the past three decades with no exceptions, exclusions and regardless of our current political differences created by an inevitable change of governance and disparities that have been overlooked among our homogeneously and harmoniously interrelated people.

It is common to read history backward and assume that a particular group is destined to become dominant, but conflict is part of the historical narrative and as such unavoidable part of human experience marked by complex relations and a never ending alternation between the oppressed and oppressors. A significant component of the walls of suspicion among us is the baggage that we carry in the form of historical narrative and particularly a deterministic notion of identity. I am not in any way suggesting we should not be unmoved by the past history of suffering and humiliation. After all, our experiences and memories help to shape our identity. Only by acknowledging our historical legacy, even when it might be painful, can we come to terms with our past as a way to better understand ourselves, identify our weaknesses, strengths, accepting the past and bridging the divide to transform to a better future for all Ethiopians. 
 
This year will also mark a celebration of different kind. Twenty-fifteen will be election time for Ethiopian people where we hope change is coming for the better this time around. We, in the diaspora, share our people’s endeavour & send them our encouragement in support of a peaceful transition and a democratically elected transparent government. We must show our solidarity and support opposition leaders and peace activists who stand for all Ethiopians, who are constantly under threats, intimidations and imprisonment pleading (bleeding) for freedom, justice and morally exercising their democratic rights.

Hopefully, this combined celebration will remove the old approach of inadvertent & ignoramus governance of nepotism & despotism and doing so will encourage more participation & conducive to more collaboration and fetches wholehearted appreciation from all Ethiopians, ultimately restoring the spirit & integrity of the community, thereby, attracting more members and connecting the crack and hopefully this unity, undoubtedly, will resonate back home enticing the essence.

May God give us the courage to live together as many entities but one community.