Asmara, 13 November 2025 - Legendary Artist and Patriot Bereket Mengisteab Bairu passed away on 12 November at the age of 84.

Legendary Artist Bereket Mengisteab began his artistic career in 1961 by joining the then Emperor Haile Selassie Theater in Addis Ababa. In 1973, he and his Eritrean colleagues formed the music group "Mekaleh Guaila."

Over a career spanning more than 60 years, Legendary Artist Bereket worked as a vocalist, poet, musician, and composer, producing numerous classic songs. His works significantly contributed to motivating Eritrean youth to join the armed struggle for national independence.

In 1958, Artist Bereket joined the Haraka Movement, and in 1975 he joined the Eritrean Liberation Front, serving as head of its Cultural Department until 1979. While living in Saudi Arabia until 1991, he established a musical band "BM" and contributed a number of songs aimed at raising awareness among nationals inside the country and abroad regarding the Eritrean people's struggle for independence.

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After Independence, Legendary Artist Bereket continued his artistic career under the Commission of Culture and Sports and contributed in the preservation of national sovereignty and nation building process with his profession.

Legendary Artist Bereket Mengisteab is survived by his wife and nine children.

The funeral service for Legendary Artist Bereket will be conducted on Sunday, 16 November, at noon at the Asmara Martyrs Cemetery.

Expressing deep sorrow over his passing, the Commission of Culture and Sports conveys its condolences to his family and fans.