The annual Patriots' Commemoration Day, observed every year on May 5 G.C. or Miazia 27 E.C., is being celebrated colorfully at the Victory Monument Square in Arat Kilo, Addis Ababa.
May 5th is a significant national holiday in Ethiopia, designated as Patriots' Victory Day or Arbegnoch Qen. The day's historical roots are found in May 5th, 1941, when the Italian occupation officially ended. More than just an anniversary, it honors the remarkable resilience and bravery of the Ethiopian patriots whose valiant struggle during World War II secured the nation's freedom from Fascist forces.
Heroic patriots and successor youth present at the venue added vibrancy to the celebration by presenting performances of "Fukera" and "Shilela" (traditional Ethiopian war chants and praises) related to the occasion.
Regarding the day, the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Taye Atske Selassie, laid a wreath at the Victory Monument.
In addition to the president, Major General Endalkachew Woldekidan laid a wreath at the Victory Monument representing the Ethiopian National Defense Force; the president of the Ethiopian Patriots' Association, Lij Daniel Jote Mesfin, represented the association; and the head of the Addis Ababa Culture, Arts, and Tourism Bureau, Dr. Hirut Kassa, also placed a wreath at the base of the monument.
Patriots' Day is a bright victory celebration on which Ethiopian patriots fought for five years against Italy's second invasion of Ethiopia and secured their country's freedom.