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From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Thu Jul 29 2010 - 13:48:16 EDT
Sawa: A Melting Pot for Eritrean Youth
Mansour Nouredin,
Jul 29, 2010
In the course of three days, Eritrean youth from inside and abroad gathered
in Sawa to celebrate their bi-annual festival under the theme, "Youth: Pivot
of the Future." The festival that was kicked off on 19 July 2010 also has
seen the graduation of the 23rd round of the national service.
Sawa, center gravity for the Youth, since its inception as a military
training center, now center for educational and training opportunities, has
insured the existence of the nation through its progenies. It has also
proved to be the home of the young and promotion of their national
sentiments, psychological and social wellbeing and equipped them with useful
skills that would help them in building a career.
Beside the 23rd round of the national service, over 8000 nationals arrived
in Sawa days before the commencement day on hundreds of minibuses, buses and
aero plane chartered by the national carrier Nas Air. The voyage which took
us through three regional administrations was accompanied with summer rain
showers until Barentu, 229 kms from Asmara that has added color to the 4th
Eritrean Youth Festival.
The festival was commenced in the presence of President Isaias Afewerki,
ministers, PFDJ officials, army commanders and invited guests in the morning
hours of Friday, 19th July. The opening ceremony which was commended to its
vibrant shows, was followed by exhibitions that were exhibited in the series
of block of hangars. The exhibitions were about the various programs that
are carried away by different national companies in which the youth are the
sole players. Also the presentation include the activities of National Board
for Higher Learning Institutions, Bdho Association, ICT presentations by the
youth, regional pavilions by NUEYS chapters of the six regional
administrations and activities of the Eritreans in Diaspora.
Moreover, programs featured on the festival include various traditional and
modern cultural shows by Eritrean, Sudanese and Egyptian cultural troupes;
candle vigil, fashion show, general knowledge, speech and debating
competitions among workers, members of Eritrean Defense Forces, college
students, secondary school and Eritreans from abroad were also conducted.
In the course of the festival, about 25 study papers focusing on history,
equality, causes and influences of immigration were presented. Besides,
seminars on "National Service in Eritrea," "Challenges and Opportunities of
the New Stage," "Eritrean Women Movement and Its Future Impact," "Eritrean
Education Progress and its Challenges" and "The Level of Development of the
Eritrean Higher Education" were given by government officials and
professionals alike.
Also staged during the festivities was Sawa prizes. These prizes awarded to
Eritreans in Diaspora who excelled in completing their secondary school
studies. On this year 180 students who came from US, Europe, Saudi Arabia
and other countries received the prize.
Among the winners, Ms. Semhar Abraham from Saudi Arabia said that in her
first visit to Sawa, she has been privileged to be legible for the Sawa
award and added that the award will give her momentum on her studies and
communal activities.
One of the exhibitions that attracted the attention of visitors was the
innovations' corner.
The innovators that were organized in 2008 by the National Union of Eritrean
Youth and Students to organize innovators and create conducive environment
in their tasks, has strengthened the notion of can-do spirit on themselves.
Mr. Yonas Hadera, one of the innovative youths, came with three of his
important innovations.
His innovations include a machine that grinds city dry garbage like shaded
leaves into a compact fire wood. According to him, in eight hours the
machine can produce 12 quintals of compact fire wood. He also presented a
salt milling machine which grinds a quintal of salt in five minutes. Besides
he manufactured animal feed processing machine in which the inputs are sugar
cane, bone fish and other additives; the output being processed nutrient
animal feed. The machine proportionally sucks the input and pass through a
series of stages like chopping, grinding, milling and mixing. This machine,
with an ample supply of raw materials, can process 15 quintals of animal
feed per hour. Such machines would have been imported expensing foreign
currency.
"But why we waste these currency for we can manufacture them in Eritrea," he
added.
Graduated in General Metal from Asmara Technical School, in his two-decade
innovations, so far he has produced 12 types of machines. The machines
include sheet corrugators, bread and pastry slicers and stoves, a
multi-faceted carpentry machine, brick making machines, round bar cutters,
machine that make roof's fencing net, a tea-leaf balance for 50 and 100
grams among others.
Festival Impressions
"The youth festival is not held for celebrations sake. It initiates feeling
of competition in different fields. It is a center of creativity -
creativity in all fields of invention especially in software designing to
which I am involving in," says Tesfalem Belay, one of the ICT presenters
.
He further noted that such a festival plays a huge task, though small in
size, in manifesting the heterogeneity of both the Eritrean culture and the
Diaspora. The network created in the small compound has a wealth of
diversity and a beauty to enjoy it.
Mr. Tesfalem designed a program that shows Asmara's map in software, where
it shows the transportation networks, major sightseeing areas and other
significant places for travelers.
"The Eritrean Youth Festival, as its name suggests might be regarded as
youth's event. But the festival's population, composed of nationals and
foreigners of all age strata were enjoying the mosaic of activities that
made the festival lively," notes Ahlam Said, a student at College of Nursing
in Asmara.
"For the reason that it thought to be an occasion where young Eritreans meet
and share experience among them, the festival deserves gratitude," she adds.
She further commented that "as some programs especially the study paper
presentations were staged in scattered halls simultaneously, a fair number
of attendees including I, didn't have the chance to participate at the
timely presentations. So I think the organizing committee should consider
the placement of presentation so as to accommodate as many people as
possible."
Similarly another national Sami Habtom, a resident of Birmingham in UK,
stated that The Eri Youth festival was a great occasion of sensing the past,
present and future qualities of the Eritrean youth. The Eri Youth festival
was an important cultural event that have brought together the dispersed
youth inside the country and the Diaspora.
"Yet the short-lived lack of coordination which compelled some attendees to
experience difficulties during their entry in Sawa, should be taken as a
lesson for future events," he added.
For Mohammed Abdulhamid, eleventh-grade student from Mendefera the event was
a timely one. "My visitation to Sawa is of dual purpose. Firstly I want to
be part of the fourth youth festival and secondly I want to experience Sawa
first-handedly as I will be here in a matter of weeks to pursue my secondary
school in Warsay Yikealo Secondary School."
"It has been such a good experience for me as I really got to know how
things are running here and prepare myself," he added.
The youth festival is a ground where we witness the unity of Eritrean youth
inside and outside the country, notes a Los Angeles's resident Ms. Aster
Beraki.
"It is not a matter of where you live; it is just a matter of who you are
and how you perceive to each other. During the course of the event, I have
witnessed Eritreans living inside and abroad enjoying the festivities
together," she adds.
Speaking to the national media, a Libyan citizen, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim
confirmed that the activities he witnessed in Sawa are quite amazing and
that he realized all he has heard about Eritrea in the international media
are indeed deliberate smear campaigns.
The coordinator of the Egyptian youth who are staging cultural shows in the
festival, Ms. Suher Mohammed Badawi on her part said that she was impressed
by the military parade presented by Eritrean young girls and pointed out
that the participation of thousands of girls in the military training
demonstrates the equal rights women enjoy in Eritrea.
Similarly an American artist, Mr. Robert Cann stated that he has been able
to experience for himself the accounts he had heard from Eritreans residing
in the US.
Mr. Cann adds the prevailing peace in Asmara is much more reliable than that
in most US states. He went on to add that his journey from Asmara to Sawa
confirmed to him that Eritrea has no corner in the constant chaos and
instability in Africa reported by different media outlets.
A first-comer to the country, Mr. Cann is co-manager of the famed
Eritrean-American musicians, the Eri-Am sisters.
Mr. Attiya Amroun, head of delegation of the Youth league of the Sudanese
Peoples Liberation Front says such a festival, organized by the youth, to
the youth will have a great contribution in strengthening national
sentiments and showcasing the Government's investment on its youth.
This year's youth festival which was conducted with fervor, excitement and
full of adventure came to an end with speeches and cultural performances on
19th of July 2010.
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