From: Alex Amaniel (warsai553@gmail.com)
Date: Wed Aug 12 2009 - 19:59:10 EDT
*Festival Eritrea 2009- Washington DC/by EAAA*
EAAA Festival run was conducted on Saturday and 1st places were taken by
excelling runners Petros Wleday and Shewit Weldense who received their
medals from Minister Saleh Meki. The other winners Tesfom, Bereket, Sesen
and Yohanna got their medals from Ambassador Ghirmay Gebremariam. EAAA would
like to thank all participants in our races for Festival Eritrea 2009 and
congratulates the winners:
*1600m (1 mile):*
First place: Petros Welday from Maryland
Second place: Tesfom Mehari from Charlotte, North Carolina
Third place: Bereket Kiflu from Jacksonville, Florida
*Women's 800 m:*
First place: Shewit Weldensse from Cary, North Carolina
Second place: Sesen Zerhamenet from Virginia
Third place: Yohana Emanuel from Virginia
Overall, the Festival was an engaging experience for all those who attended.
It included discussions like How to improve Eritrean-US
relations, Physicians for peace mission to Eritrea, Investment Opportunities
in Eritrea, Eritrean dating and more. A notable event was when the EriAm
sisters, Liyanda, Selina, and Haben, were awarded medals by EAAA for the
hard work and dedication to their music from the hands of minister Saleh
Meki. Wearing EAAA t-shirts, they took a moment to thank the
Eritrean-American community for their support.
As unique as the EriAm sisters' story is, it seems to be one example of the
larger theme we saw at festival this year. There were many awards passed out
on Sunday night, and whether it was for academic, athletic, or musical
excellence, we saw the excitement of not just the parents, but of a whole
community. The older generation fought through a war for independence so
that the children they worked hard to raise could be free to follow their
dreams, making us a stronger nation in the process. Sunday night was a
recognition of bright children, but it was also the recognition of the
perseverance that will continue to push our country to new heights.
-Alex Amaniel
Secretary, EAAA
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