Austrian Embassy donates 450 books to Ethiopia’s Abrehot Library

Addis Ababa, October 14, 2022 (FBC) – The Embassy of Austria in Ethiopia donated 450 different books to the Abrehot Library and called on others to follow suit.

During the hand over event, Austrian Ambassador to Ethiopia Simone Knapp called on Ethiopians and Ethiopian descents in the Diaspora as well as other institutions to donate books to Abrehot Library to increase equal access to knowledge and encourage education.

“There is much opportunity to give back and to provide more books to this library. I understand Abrehot Library is looking for more books. There is enough space to provide and give back to the society, to the youth and to everyone who want to read and study,” Knapp said.

“We are donating here 450 books that we collected from Austrian universities’ libraries. Education is the key for everything,” she said, adding that  “I am very happy that we are able to provide some books for this really beautiful and amazing Abrehot Library in Addis Ababa.”  

Management Center Innsbruck Department Head in Austria, Professor Belachew Gebrewold said the collection and donation were realized in collaboration with the officials at the embassy.

“Let us work together; education is the most important thing in my life. There are many people who were unable to go to school, unable to attend university and unable to study. There is nothing better than education, therefore, let us promote education, let us support these young people whom I saw on the upstairs, studying and working hard. That is the future of Ethiopia and the world.”  

The professor stressed the need to promote education in Ethiopia to equip the people with knowledge to solve problems, according to ENA.

Belachew also called on Ethiopian Diaspora and other concerned bodies to contribute to the education sector of Ethiopia.

Apart from this donation to Abrehot Library, Ethiopia and Austria enjoy long-standing relations and have been cooperating in tourism, investment and trade, it was learned.

Abrehot Library, inagurated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in January, is Ethiopia’s largest public library built with over 1.1 billion Birr in Addis Ababa and is among the top 10 libraries in Africa.