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BAHIR DAR
Welcoming introduction given by the Vice Chancellor
Campus tour
Bahir Dar University Ethiopian Maritime Academy
Welcoming introduction given by the Vice Chancellor
At Bahir Dar University, Dr. Fikreselam gave us a warm welcome. By touring around the several campuses of the university, we had learnt much more about the tertiary education system in Ethiopia. This included how English has been chosen as the medium of instruction in all universities in Ethiopia and the cost-sharing system for settling students' tuition fee. Apart from catching a glimpse of student life on campus, the enthusiastic students from Fashion Design very kindly allowed us to join their presentations. After knowing more about the diversified programmes offered at the University, the campus tour was concluded by visiting the renowned Bahir Dar University Ethiopian Maritime Academy, the only one of its kind in Ethiopia.
Visit to Bahir Dar University
Visit to Lake Tana and Blue Nile Falls
Cheers!
Enjoy the nature in Ethiopia!
The enjoyable boat ride at Lake Tana took us to visit the island monasteries. Instead of writing, these stories were passed on through generations by the paintings on the wall. Understanding the crucial values of these cultural elements, Dr. Tesfaye captured the essence as follows:
"It gives you a sense of community. And these are very important parts of the creation of a nation. A nation has the same stories, the same history, the same people that you could refer to...for us it's a cultural reference. Some people would see more as a religious reference, but for normal Ethiopians, it's part of Ethiopian-ness. It is something that highlights the importance, the place of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. So again, these stories reinforce the sense of identity, sense of communal identity."
After the interactions with a student group learning to sing in the way of oral tradition, we continued the journey to visit the Blue Nile Falls. Our hiking efforts were well-rewarded by being able to admire the natural face of Ethiopia - the magnificent waterfall lying in the valley.
Visit to Awra Amba Community
the hall
On our way from Bahir Dar to Gondar, we had the pleasure of visiting the Awra Amba Community. It was founded in 1972 by Honorary Dr. Zumra Nuru. In our direct communication, we learnt about his five principles behind this community, which emphasize on peace and equality:
"the right to equality for women, respecting children's rights, caring for those who are unable to work, eradicating bad speech and bad deeds, and accepting all human beings as brothers and sisters regardless of their differences."
In realizing these principles, we were impressed by how the cooperative members, regardless of gender, work communally in daily jobs such as weaving and the dividends would then be shared. Various committee was also established to govern the community. Some would be responsible for security and conflict resolution, while some would take care of old and sick people. This unique Ethiopian community was found highly inspiring, as it demonstrated how diversity could be catered for in actual practices.