Addis Ababa, February 11, 2024 (FBC) – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) has inaugurated the Adwa Victory Memorial built at the heart of Addis Ababa particularly in the locality of Piassa in commemoration of Ethiopia’s victory against the Italian invaders in 1896.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Sahle-Work Zewde have laid a wreath of flower at the bottom of the memorial monument of the Adwa Victory.
Speakers of the two houses; the House of People’s Representatives and the House of Federation, Mayor of Addis Ababa, Adanech Abiebie and other high-ranking government officials and gusts are in attendance of the inauguration ceremony.
Majestically perched at 5 ha of land on the center of Addis Ababa, locally known as Piassa, the Adwa Victory Memorial symbolizes the valor and tenacity of Ethiopians against the Italian invaders and the victory that ignited African as well as worldwide resistance against colonizers resulted in the freedom and independence of all those who were under oppression.
The Memorial has entries named East Heroes Gate, West Heroes Gate, North Heroes Gate, South Heroes Gate, Patriots Gate and Pan-Africanism Gate.
The memorial also holds statues of Emperor Menelik II, Empress Taitu, the twelve war lords and Ethiopians who participated in the war and other artefacts and works of art that feature the gallantry of Ethiopians at the battle of Adwa.
The Adwa Victory Memorial commemorates the historic Battle of Adwa, which took place on March 1, 1896. The battle was a significant event in Ethiopian history, as it marked Ethiopia’s victory over Italian forces and ensured the country’s independence and sovereignty during the Scramble for Africa setting a historic example for the independence movement of African countries back in 1960s.
The Adwa Victory Memorial museum serves as a tribute to the bravery, resilience, and heroism of Ethiopian soldiers and leaders who defended their homeland against colonial aggression. It also houses a collection of artifacts, documents, and photographs among other things that depict the historical events of the Battle of Adwa, Ethiopian history, and the struggle against colonialism.
The drum by which the war was heralded, armaments and costumes patriots used during the war, ‘Tsehay” aircraft which has recently brought home from Italy, among others, have been showcased in the premises of the memorial.
By Wondesen Aregahegn