Ethiopia’s Strong Cultural Asset Crucial to Make Nation Stronger, Heal Entire Challenges: Prof. Fitz-Gerald

Ethiopia’s strong culture defined by decency, civility, nobility, pride and its social capital needs to be preserved and protected, Professor Ann Fitz-Gerald said.

University of Waterloo Professor, Ann Fitz-Gerald told ENA that changing the current situation in Ethiopia into very positive, constructive, progressive and productive way is not going to happen overnight.

Many conversations have to take place, lots of dialogue and support for people at the community level, at the level of youth and at the level of family have to be conducted, according to Fitz-Gerald.

Citing the need for a national culture of healing, the professor said “the good thing is that the Ethiopian people have come together in a relatively strong way that have not been seen before in the country’s recent history. So, I think that social capital is very strong at the moment and it needs to be preserved and protected.”

Prof. Fitz-Gerald further noted that “the right kind of balance has to be put in place between accountability and forgiveness, healing and reintegration in the communities across the regions.”

The professor, who noted that Ethiopia has always been a nation defined by culture of decency, civility, nobility and pride, pointed out that holding that strength across the populations is crucial to make the nation even stronger and healing its entire challenges through its wisdom.

“I certainly make a plea to holding that strength across the populations, continue listening your friends, your colleagues, those different background of the family level, political level, religious level and geographical level,” she stressed.

Developing the culture of healing and reconciliation will just strengthen the country even more in the future, the professor said, adding that “I would make a plea to the government to really invest in this effort. Put other things on hold to give such issues as prioritization it needs to maintain that social fabric.”

Source: Ethiopia News Agency