The inauguration and handover ceremony of the Summer Volunteer Service Program organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was held in Dire Dawa on Friday (December 26) in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos and Mayor of the Dire Dawa City Administration Kedir Juhar. State Ministers of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Hadera Abera and Ambassador Berhanu Tsegaye, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Kenya Ambassador Bacha Debele, and Dire Dawa city community members also attended the event.
Delivering his remarks at the ceremony, Foreign Minister Gedion noted that volunteer service plays a vital role in promoting mutual assistance, cooperation, and social cohesion, while transmitting positive values to future generations and strengthening national unity. He said that, over the years, numerous people-centered volunteer initiatives have been carried out, reaching millions of citizens across the country. These efforts have included the renovation and reconstruction of homes, the provision of educational materials to students, blood donation campaigns, support to communities affected by disasters, and seedling planting under the Green Legacy Initiative to enhance environmental sustainability.
The Minister further explained that, in fulfillment of its social responsibility and in solidarity with the people of Dire Dawa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with its missions abroad and relevant stakeholders, has implemented various volunteer service activities aimed at directly benefiting the local community.
As part of these efforts, support was provided for the purchase of educational materials for students from low-income families, including financial assistance extended to the Dire Dawa City Administration Education Bureau for the same purpose. Tree-planting activities involving various fruit seedlings were also conducted under the Green Legacy Initiative, with the participation of heads and staff of the Ministry and its affiliated institutions, the Diaspora Association, and the Washington, DC Association for Peace and Unity in Ethiopia.
The Ministry also handed over newly constructed houses to underprivileged beneficiaries in collaboration with its headquarters and the Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi. In addition, financial and educational material support was provided to the Dire Dawa Rural Women Students’ Living Facility, coordinated by Ethiopia’s Embassy in New Delhi.
On the occasion, the Minister expressed appreciation, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant institutions, to the Ethiopian Customs Commission for its support through the donation of housing and construction materials.
Overall, the Ministry was able to implement various volunteer service activities and Green Legacy initiatives in Dire Dawa with a total contribution of 20.1 million birr. He noted that the heads and employees of the Ministry and its affiliated institutions were pleased to have contributed meaningfully to volunteer service and environmental sustainability during the Summer season. He further added that, over the past six months alone, volunteer service activities valued at more than 40 million birr have been carried out, reinforcing a culture of mutual support and the transmission of positive values to the next generation.
The Minister underscored that volunteer service is a people-centered approach capable of addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. He called for continued collective engagement to ensure volunteerism remains an enduring tradition, while reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Dire Dawa City Administration, particularly in the areas of investment and tourism promotion.
The Minister also highlighted that, over the past seven years, the government and people of Ethiopia have planted 48 billion seedlings under the Green Legacy Initiative. He described the initiative as a cross-generational program that contributes to increased productivity, climate change mitigation, land rehabilitation, and the preservation of a healthy environment for future generations, while also supporting the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Beyond its national impact, the Green Legacy Initiative has contributed to strengthening regional solidarity and cooperation by fostering closer ties with neighboring countries. The initiative has also gained international recognition, including the occasion when Prime Minister Abiy received the Outstanding African Leadership Award in 2022.
Ethiopia’s track record under the Green Legacy Initiative was among the factors considered in selecting the country to host the 32nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP32). The conference is expected to provide an international platform to showcase Ethiopia’s tourism potential, underscoring the importance of making tree planting a sustained tradition and ensuring the protection and nurturing of planted seedlings.