May 9, 2008

 

PAP Celebrates Ethiopian Millennium

 

The Pan African Parliament (PAP) today celebrated the Ethiopian Millennium. This was in accordance with declaration AU/Del.6 (VIII) adopted by the 8th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Governments of the African Union.

 

Speaking to journalists during the opening of the Ninth Ordinary Session of Pan-African Parliament, PAP President Dr Gertrude Mongella said that
“Ethiopian Millennium Celebrations was important to Africa, because it is aimed at rediscovering Africa’s own culture“.

 

The President and Members of PAP were joined by H.E. Mohammud Dirir, the Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Ethiopia and a high level delegation, who came especially from Ethiopia to address the House and join in the celebrations.

 

During the debate on the Ethiopian Millennium, the Chairperson of the Committee on Education, Culture, Tourism and Human Resources, Hon. Maïdagi
Allambeye, stated that “the celebration of the Ethiopian Millennium is an active expression of African solidarity and the entire PAP associates itself with this great Ethiopian cultural event”.

 

On his part, the Ethiopian Minister said that “The purpose of the celebration is to look into the glorious past of the nation and to build a vibrant democracy that is marked by peace”. He added that Ethiopia was “known for its tolerance in terms of cultural and religious diversity”.

 

An exhibition and a cultural event were organized after the debate ended.

 

Ethiopia marked the year 2000 on 12 September 2007, while the rest of the world of the celebrated the turn of the millennium eight years ago. This is due to the fact that Ethiopia begun counting as of 46 BC, while the rest of the world started to count from the birth date of Jesus Christ, thus making Ethiopia seven years and eight months behind western dates.

 

Ethiopia, one of the oldest civilizations in the world, is also one of the few countries with a long recorded history. Besides its own calendar, Ethiopia has its own number system and alphabets. Ethiopia is also the only country in Africa that was never colonized.