Commemorating the Role of Women during the Battle of Adwa
UNESCO Addis Ababa Liaison Office joined the celebration to commemorate the role of women during the battle of Adwa organized on 09, March 2021 at the Grand Eliana Hotel in Addis Ababa in connection with the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the victory of the Battle of Adwa.
On the occasion attended by ministers, state ministers, members of the parliament, university scholars, artists, etc., UNESCO Addis Ababa Liaison Office Director and Representative Dr. Yumiko Yokozeki delivered a keynote speech, expressing the important role of women in all occupations including building the defense of war in the minds of men & women. Dr. Yumiko added also that Adwa is an important event in the shared memory of the entire African population, which exhibited the spirit of unity, love and friendship.
On the opening remarks, H.E. Dr. Hirut Kassaw, Minister for Ministry of Culture and Tourism stressed the important role of women in leadership, diplomacy, tactic and the fact that nothing can be achieved without the participation of women. The presentations delivered by the scholars widely expressed the command and leadership of Empress Taitu Bitul, who fought in person together with many other women that were responsible for various responsibilities, including the actual fighting, instigating the morale of men, treatment for the wounded, and managing logistics, supply lines, etc.
The participants also reacted to express their feelings and requested the need for making further research on the subject, production of film on the spot and building statuette for commemorating the role of women in the victory of Adwa, which was an exemplary for gender equality happened 125 years ago.
On 5 March 2021, UNESCO under the General History of Africa series, organized an on-line conference on the same subject on the theme: “The Battle of Adwa: A decisive milestone in the struggle for the liberation of the African continent”. Mr. Firmin Matoko, ADG/PAX/UNESCO, H.E. Dr. Hirut Kassaw, H.E. Mr. Henok Tefera, Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to France, Permanent Delegate of Ethiopia to UNESCO and scholars from African region attended the meeting.