Japan Embassy held festival strengthening ties with Ethiopia

Addis Ababa- January 15, 2012- A festival promoting Japanese culture and facilitate better understanding of Japanese development assistance was held here in Addis Ababa at Juventus Club. The festival was co-organized by the Embassy of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The theme of the festival was ‘One for all. All for one”.

The Japan Ambassador to Ethiopia, Mr. Hiroyuki Kishino in his opening remark stated that the festival is meant to promote lively grassroots people-to-people exchange between Japanese and Ethiopians. “This is a fun, enjoyable and exciting event, where Japanese and Ethiopian people can get to know each other, and talk about life, culture and development together,” the ambassador said. Japanese culture such as Kimono (Japanese traditional dress), Shodo (Japanese way of writing), songs and dance were at display. Addis Ababa- January 4, 2012- Now days we are fortunate enough to have dual holidays for the same cause. We celebrate two new years and two X-mass in one year period. Last weekend, Ethiopians, with a high spirit celebrated the western New Year. The spirit, on the eve was closely similar to the Ethiopian New Year which was celebrated four months a go. Considering a week after the New Year, Saturday, is a celebration of the Ethiopian X-mass (Gena), many in Addis spent the eve, making the day an early celebration of the approaching holiday.

The hottest eve party for the New Year was expected to be at Velvet in Addis, a relatively new restaurant and club around Bole. For the eve, many showed up at its gate early with a high spirit of partying and welcoming 2012 with refreshed spirit. That is probably one of the reasons for many not to mind the comparatively high entrance, which was 1000 birr for VIP spot.