Ancient Ethiopia’s Contribution to Modern African History: The 1896 Battle of ADWA

Organizers

February 1, 2006

Celebrate the Spirit of Ancient Ethiopian Survival at the 110th Anniversary of the Battle of Adwa in Washington on March 3, 2006

On Friday, March 3, 2006 Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia will converge on the University of the District of Columbia in Washington DC “to resurrect and commemorate “The Ethiopian Spirit of Survival” at the 110th Anniversary of the 1896 Victory of Adwa.”

As early as 1896, Ethiopia was the last free nation on continental Africa that was never colonized. After the Battle of Adwa, Ethiopia became the First African Nation to ever win a major battle over a powerful European colonizer.

The Battle of Adwa, known as “The Greatest Colonial Battle in Modern Times,” took place at dawn on St. George Day…Sunday, March 1, 1896 near the 3,000 year old “Holy City” of Axum (the ancient capital of the Queen of Sheba and also the location of the Arc of Covenant).

What makes the Battle of Adwa so spiritually significant is that it occurred on St. George’s Day and St. George is the Patron Saint of Ethiopian Warriors…it was on that day 110 years ago that Emperor Menelik II, Empress Taitu and thousands of Ethiopian warriors (men and women) rose early to pray to St. George for victory and for the protection of ancient Ethiopian soverignty…and their prayers were answered.

The Ethiopian Victory at Adwa instilled race pride in the hearts of Blacks throughout the colonized world; it also inspired dreams of liberation from oppressive European colonizers and strengthened the spiritual bond between Ethiopia and the African Diaspora: Blacks of African descent in America and the Carribbean who had long embraced Ethiopia as the Garden of Eden in the Bible (Genesis 2:13)…began to believe that the Ethiopian Victory at Adwa was a fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

The Organizing Committee of the 110th ADWA Victory Celebration invites all people of African descent, Friends of Ethiopia and People of Right Action and Good Will to attend the event and they ask for people of color to be especially mindful of their spiritual and historical bond to the ancient land of Ethiopia and come out to participate and experience this historical occasion.

The mission of the Organizing Committee of the 110th Adwa Victory Celebration is to preserve and promote ancient and modern Ethiopian history for a future world humanity and to inspire youth of African descent to be mindful of their glorious heritage, before slavery.

Proceeds from the event will benefit The Ethiopian Patriots Association and St. George Church Humanitarian Programs (school, free clinic and homeless shelter).

Activities include special appearances by surviving Patriots of the Ethiopian Holocaust 1935-1941, Ethiopian scholars, educators and historians. Families are urged to “bring the children and learn about a forgotten part of our African history.”

The event also features “The Day the Angels Cried Traveling Museum Exhibit,” that presents 10,000 years of ancient and modern Ethiopian history including African Genesis, the Battle of Adwa and the Ethiopian Holocaust 1935-1941. Special cultural entertainment includes Traditional Ethiopian music, Mekaidah and The Ethiopian Nyabinghi Choir from Miami, Florida, Ethiopian cultural vendors and traditional Ethiopian cuisine.

For more information, please call:
Chicago: 312-225-6000
Maryland: 240-381-6559
Miami: 954-478-0986