ACRM to host African Liberation Day celebrations at UTech, Ja

After recently participating in celebrations held at the UWI, Mona Campus to commemorate the Ethiopian Victory Day, the ACRM now turns its attention to hosting the annual African Liberation Day event. African Liberation Day is celebrated to commemorate the founding of the Organization of African Unity now the African Union as well as to acknowledge the progress that Africa and the African Diaspora has made.  The Celebration will take the form of a Lecture and Exhibit, and will be held on Thursday May 26, in the Lecture Theatre 4, by the Faculty of Built Environment (FOBE), University of Technology, Jamaica from 6pm-9pm.

The Ethiopian Victory Day celebration was held to commemorate 75 years since the historic Patriot Victory Day of Ethiopia when on May 5,1941 Emperor Haile Selassie I drove the Italian forces out of his country. Major highlights from the Ethiopian Victory Day celebration was a presentation done by Dr. Michael Barnett, Lecturer from the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work which detailed the occurrences surrounding the war, from the time of Emperor Haile Selassie I, having to flee his country, to his eventual return upon securing victory over the Italian troops. Dr. Barnett also elaborated on the aftermath of the war, which saw the erection of the Arat Kilo monument to commemorate their historic victory.

Dr. Michael Barnett, giving an historical overview of the Ethio-Italian War

Photo credit: Kamau Janai

Another highlight of the celebrations was a presentation done by Gary Groeper, researcher and collector of Emperor Haile Selassie I artefacts on the medals that were awarded to loyal soldiers who fought in the Ethio-Italian war. These included the Medal of the Campaign (Patriots Medal) awarded to meritorious patriots who carried out open hostilities against the enemy troops during the 1936-1941 Campaign and also The Star of Victory for Military Personnel which was instituted by Emperor Haile Selassie I in 1941 to recognize services during the Patriotic War against the Italian Occupation.

Pictured above is The Star of Victory for Military Personnel

Photo credit: Kamau Janai

Priest Douglas Smith representing the Rastafari movement was also in attendance. Smith was there to launch the Written Rastafari Archives Project (W.R.A.P.) which is a digitized and archived collection of Key Historical Rastafari Publications. The project had been undertaken in partnership with Thomas Gale Publishing, who entitled them to grant access to the publications to two Institutions free of charge. The UWI, Mona campus was selected as one of those institutions and Deputy Principal Prof. Ishenkumba Kahwa accepted the gift on behalf of their University.

Priest Douglas Smith speaking on the W.R.A.P. publications

Photo credit: Kamau Janai

Deputy Principal of UWI, Mona Prof. Ishenkumba Kahwah speaking after accepting Priest Douglas Smith’s gift to the university

Photo credit: Kamau Janai

In attendance was also Mrs. Yodit Hylton, Honorary Consul of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia who brought greetings from Ethiopia to the audience. Ambassador Hylton affirmed the deep bond that Jamaica and Ethiopia share, with our country being the birthplace of Rastafari, who look to Emperor Haile Selassie I as the divine King.

Yodi Hylton, Honorary Consul of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia addresses the audience

Photo credit: Kamau Janai

The celebration concluded with a special viewing of the original medals that Haile Selassie awarded to those who participated in the Ethio-Italian war courtesy of Mr. Groeper as well as other memorabilia from his majesty’s visit to Jamaica and magazines in which he was featured during his reign.

Stay tuned to our blog as we will post further information pertaining to the upcoming African Liberation Day celebrations.

Update - Date has been changed to the 26th of May. The Venue and the Time have also been included. 

Rowen A. Johnson

Public Relations Officer

rowen_johnson@yahoo.com