Ethiopians are colorfully marking their New Year 2017 Wednesday.
As always heightened and renewed hope is what the new year spirit brings to Ethiopians.
Ethiopian New Year, locally known as Enkutatash, falls on September 11, but on September 12 during a leap year.
The word Enkutatash means the ‘gift of jewels’ that also represents the end of the rainy season, the time of year during which the Ethiopian landscape is covered with bright yellow flowers called Adey Abeba.
Ethiopians celebrate their New Year (Enkutatash) with a variety of cultural ways. Young girls attired with new traditional clothes gather daisies and present friends with a bouquet, singing New Year’s songs.
This year, religious fathers in their New Year benediction highlighted the need for Ethiopians to reach new heights by resolving conflicts through dialogue, differences with unity, and disagreements with reconciliation.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on his part emphasized the importance of seizing the opportunities presented by the incoming New Year and urged citizens to work together to address the nation's challenges and build a brighter future for all.
“We can create a brighter future for Ethiopia,” the premier underscored, noting that, “making the year to heal past wounds, and build a foundation for a prosperous future and create a legacy that our children will be proud to inherit,” he said.
For Ethiopians, September is a festive period with various events, most of which are attributed to annual religious and cultural festivities.
Events like Maskel - the finding of the True Cross, Erreecha, Mawlid, Tourism Day, and other religious events attract an influx of tourists from across the globe to Ethiopia.