Endale Assefa
19 September 2007
Addis Ababa — The Ethiopian Millennium Festival National Council Secretariat is waiting for the list of Ethiopian babies born at the turn of the millennium, Director Seyoum Bereded, said.
Speaking with the media at his office, along with Netsanet Asfaw, Secretariat Deputy Director and Government Assistant whip on Tuesday, Seyoum said prizes are awaiting for the millennium babies whose number is not yet known.
He said his office had prepared awards that preserve and ensure the continuity of cultural and historical heritages of the country.
It is not clear what the awards are, exactly.
"The prize is not financial. It could be historical books and similar prizes mainly aimed at creating ethical citizens for the generation to come," Seyoum said.
Netsanet Asfaw, on her part said the motto in the awards read-'third millennium children preserve and pass our heritages to the fourth millennium kids'.
She said that her council secretariat will be engaged in various historical promotion works in the whole year.
The National Millennium Festival council Secretariat will give the prizes to these children exactly next year when they celebrate their first year birthday.
Similar prizes are expected to come from Sheik Mohammed Hussien al-Amoudi, the tycoon and philanthropist who is said to have pledged to give 1 million birr for first born babies of Ethiopia upon clinical testimonies.
Health service providers have yet to send number of babies born on the date, which according to the Secretariat guarantees entitlement for the prize.
But Medical Newspaper, a private Amharic Newspaper has come up with a figure-8000-it said was an estimated number of babies born between September 11 and 12, Ethiopian New year and new millennium.
Seyoum took the chance to disclose on behalf of the Council, his appreciations for all the cooperation and support it received from the government and people of Ethiopia which has resulted in successful celebrations of the millennium so far, despite the treats..
He said that indicated the country is under national reconciliation and consensus.
"Though intelligence information disclosed that there could be security problems during the millennium celebration, everything has and is going well peacefully with great participation of the people," Seyoum told reporters.
Noting that his council also prepared a concert at Jan Meda last Monday for the people of Addis Ababa who enjoyed the festivity with brotherly love and peace among each other,
Seyoum stressed that the present peaceful environment should continue in the future as the millennium is to be celebrated the whole year.
Speaking about the Two Trees for the Millennium project that was said to be successfully implemented since the end of June, Siyoum said, "I personally planted 64 trees, all by myself. I have also visited the trees I planted three times, so far." Seyoum urged all those who took part in tree planting project to do the same-taking care of the tree they planted so the project meets the desired objectives.
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