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By Andualem Sisay - Capital
23 March 2007
The Addis Ababa Millennium Festival Secretariat is undertaking the construction of the biggest park in the country-Millennium Park, on 158 hectares in Yeka sub city and costing 100mln birr.
A clock that will be installed on a tower that will be built on one of the three hills of Yeka is one of the characteristics that make Millennium Park unique among others. The clock will be visible to the inhabitants Addis from all the four directions.
In addition, the park has five wings named Youth, Elderly, Disabled, Women & Children, and Central Park. Every wing will have recreational and informational centers including libraries, statues, fountains, theatres, conference halls and space for animals.
“Some people might think that we are marginalizing certain segments of the society, but we did this to symbolize our country, which has a place for every one of us within the Millennium Park,” says Kiros HaileSelassie, Director of Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat.
“The project for the Millennium Park seems ambitious. However, let’s contribute what we can and empower the next generation to finish it, since after all, development is a process. That is why we chose this mountainous site for the park, which can be symbolized as the success one can achieve after passing through challenges,” he says.
The Secretariat hopes to accomplish 30 per cent of the construction of the park by the closing stage the Ethiopian Millennium celebration, which will last for fifteen months as of the coming June 2007.
Securing a budget from the city administration and other sister-cities holding lottery and bazaars and donations from investors are among the strategies that the Secretariat is planning to raise money for the construction of the park
Replying to Capital about the significance of celebrating a 15 month-long Millennium for Ethiopia, “Ethiopian Millennium celebration is not only about festivals and holidays,” says Kiros. “This is the moment for all Ethiopians to look to the light inside of them and step forward to change once and for all the image of poverty and famine that has been our identity. It is also a show time at which we can demonstrate our best face for the rest of the world.”
Including the ever-increasing number of tourists that had reached some 239,000 by the year 2005, Ethiopia is expecting triple that number for the 15 month-long Millennium celebration.