"... The beginning of the new millennium gives Ethiopians an unparalleled opportunity for renewal of their faith in themselves. Ethiopians from all walks of life will be asking tough questions on why their country has declined to the current state.
A recent World Economic Forum report indicates that Ethiopia has slid to the rank of 120th out of 125 countries in 2006 in the Global Competitive Index, down from the 116th place it occupied in 2005.
THERE IS ALSO CONCERN whether Ethiopia will meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Economic analysts point out that the number of Ethiopians living on less than a dollar a day, has nearly tripled since Zenawi took power in 1991." * allafrica.com
The African Union has decided to adopt the Ethiopian millennium as the African millennium in recognition of the country’s unique history and culture within the continent. The decision was taken during its eighth ordinary summit meeting in Addis Ababa at the end of January.
Ethiopia celebrates the year 2000 on 12 September 2007 according to the version of the Julian calendar in use in the country, which is seven years behind the Gregorian calendar used in the rest of the world. Festivities in Ethiopia are being organised by a special secretariat which is working on dozens of projects, including a ten-hour concert on 11 September, new year’s eve, two documentary films, sporting activities, tree-planting initiatives and other legacy projects including the creation of museums and parks. It is not clear how the Ethiopian millennium will be celebrated across the rest of the continent.
... The Second Annual International Tsehai Conference will take place in Dallas, Texas in the first week of July 2007. The theme of this year conference is Ethiopia: In the Eve of the New Millennium. A project of the Ethiopian Heritage Foundation, this conference is jointly organized by the International Journal of Ethiopian Studies and the Ethiopian Institute for Nonviolence Education and Peace Studies.
