All eyes on Harar in July
Harar’s establishment millennium to trigger the third new Ethiopian millennium
By Andualem Sisay
The Harar First Millennium was launched in the presence of Girma Wolde-Giorgis, President of the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The president it is to be re called has authored a book about the city entitled, “Then and Today”.
“I believe that the celebration of Harar’s one-thousandth anniversary of its founding as a city imparts a uniquely beautiful Harari color to the multi-facetted celebration of the Ethiopian third Millennium,” said the president, speaking at the event here in Addis at the Sheraton Hotel on Wednesday May 23, 2007.
With the motto of ‘think globally and act locally’, the Harar Millennium Committee has been undertaking various activities here and abroad to colorfully promote Harar’s first Millennium. The city was registered by UNESCO in 2006 as the 45th historical town of peace and coexistance.
Ms. Florence Ssereo, UNESCO Representative on the ceremony indicated that the conservation activities underway in Harar are encouraging and the World Heritage Council is expecting a progress report in July, 2007. She also stressed UNESCO’s readiness to cooperate with the town in order to protect and promote the intangible heritages of Harar such as traditional music and dance.
Ethiopian third Millennium Festival Council Director, Siyum Bereded, on his part indicated that both the Harar First Millennium celebration and Ethiopia’s third Millennium celebrations have created good opportunities to restore and rehabilitate the degrading environment of the country.
According to the Lunar Calendar, 405 Hijra means it is now 1023 years old. The city could be even older and further studies should be conducted to know the exact age of the city, according to Ambassador Mohammed Dirir, Minister of Tourism and Culture, who spoke at the launching.
After Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem; with 82 mosques and uncountable shrines, the walled city of Harar is the 4th holiest city of Sunni Islam. It is also considered as an original domestic center of the world famous ‘coffee Arabica’ and the mild stimulant leaf chat (catha adulis).
Harar, located in eastern Ethiopia 526 km from Addis Ababa, is expecting tens of thousands of visitors as well as its own population for the celebration of its first Millennium. The city has dedicated the full month of July for the colorful celebration of its Millennium with various events such as festivals, bazaars, tree planting, as well as other developmental programs.
World Heritage registration of Harar Jugal fiesta, investment opportunity& promotion program, the 12th Harari sport tournament , handing over of land for investors and the inauguration, of Abdella Sherif`s museum are among the programs which will be undertaken during the month long Harar first Millennium celebration.
According to Ahmed Zekeriya, Harar Millennium Project Advisor, out of the one mln sq.mt of land that the city administration is preparing for the Ethiopian diaspora who are interested to build houses and settle in Harar, some 600,000 sq mts are now ready.
http://www.capitalethiopia.com/archive/2007/May/week4/local_news.htm#6
By Andualem Sisay
The Harar First Millennium was launched in the presence of Girma Wolde-Giorgis, President of the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The president it is to be re called has authored a book about the city entitled, “Then and Today”.
“I believe that the celebration of Harar’s one-thousandth anniversary of its founding as a city imparts a uniquely beautiful Harari color to the multi-facetted celebration of the Ethiopian third Millennium,” said the president, speaking at the event here in Addis at the Sheraton Hotel on Wednesday May 23, 2007.
With the motto of ‘think globally and act locally’, the Harar Millennium Committee has been undertaking various activities here and abroad to colorfully promote Harar’s first Millennium. The city was registered by UNESCO in 2006 as the 45th historical town of peace and coexistance.
Ms. Florence Ssereo, UNESCO Representative on the ceremony indicated that the conservation activities underway in Harar are encouraging and the World Heritage Council is expecting a progress report in July, 2007. She also stressed UNESCO’s readiness to cooperate with the town in order to protect and promote the intangible heritages of Harar such as traditional music and dance.
Ethiopian third Millennium Festival Council Director, Siyum Bereded, on his part indicated that both the Harar First Millennium celebration and Ethiopia’s third Millennium celebrations have created good opportunities to restore and rehabilitate the degrading environment of the country.
According to the Lunar Calendar, 405 Hijra means it is now 1023 years old. The city could be even older and further studies should be conducted to know the exact age of the city, according to Ambassador Mohammed Dirir, Minister of Tourism and Culture, who spoke at the launching.
After Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem; with 82 mosques and uncountable shrines, the walled city of Harar is the 4th holiest city of Sunni Islam. It is also considered as an original domestic center of the world famous ‘coffee Arabica’ and the mild stimulant leaf chat (catha adulis).
Harar, located in eastern Ethiopia 526 km from Addis Ababa, is expecting tens of thousands of visitors as well as its own population for the celebration of its first Millennium. The city has dedicated the full month of July for the colorful celebration of its Millennium with various events such as festivals, bazaars, tree planting, as well as other developmental programs.
World Heritage registration of Harar Jugal fiesta, investment opportunity& promotion program, the 12th Harari sport tournament , handing over of land for investors and the inauguration, of Abdella Sherif`s museum are among the programs which will be undertaken during the month long Harar first Millennium celebration.
According to Ahmed Zekeriya, Harar Millennium Project Advisor, out of the one mln sq.mt of land that the city administration is preparing for the Ethiopian diaspora who are interested to build houses and settle in Harar, some 600,000 sq mts are now ready.
http://www.capitalethiopia.com/archive/2007/May/week4/local_news.htm#6
posted by Harar Connection at 5:38 AM
1 Comments:
You know we are accountable for our statement in front of Allaah, so what is your proof for this statement? "the walled city of Harar is the 4th holiest city of Sunni Islam."
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