Photo from past award event hosted by Society of Ethiopians Established in Diaspora. (Photo: Ulf Niskanen)
Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff
Published: Saturday, April 18th, 2015
New York (TADIAS) — Society of Ethiopians Established in Diaspora (SEED) will hold its 23nd Annual Awards Gala at Georgetown University Hotel & Conference Center in Washington, D.C. on May 24th, 2015.
The organization announced that it will honor ten individuals from the Diaspora this year, including educators, former government officials, artists, activists, journalists and students. The honorees are Aklilu Habtewold, Tamagne Beyene, Yohannes Gebregeorgis, Jane Kurtz, Tesfaye Gessesse, Dr. Zebene Lemma, Dr. Teshome Wagaw and students Elizabeth Elsa Girma, Naomi Fesseha and Woudese Befikadu.
Last year, the awards went to Professor Donald N. Levine, Obang Metho, Menbere Aklilu, Ambassador Zewde Retta and the late Rachel Beckwith.
SEED said it is recognizing former Ethiopian Prime Minister Aklilu Habtewold posthumously “in acknowledgment of his outstanding lifelong public service with integrity, in appreciation of his contribution to the modernization and development of Ethiopia (including building Ethiopia’s defense capability at the time), in connecting Ethiopian Airlines to the rest of the world, in fighting against Italian aggression in his youth, for amicably resolving boarder conflicts with Ethiopia’s neighbors, for being instrumental to making Addis Ababa the home for the AU (OAU) headquarters, for bringing Ethiopia to the world stage by representing it with dignity and resolve in the UN, Europe, the US and Africa, and for his own academic accomplishments, demonstrated love of country.”
In addition, SEED will bestow the accolade on CNN Hero Yohannes Gebregeorgis and Jane Kurtz “as collaborative founders of Ethiopia Reads, an organization that brings books and libraries to rural Ethiopia, in appreciation of the rich and positive contributions they have made by exemplifying the highest ideals and standards education for our young people, as well as in recognition of their own inspiring academic excellence, prolific writings of children’s books, civic responsibilities and continuing the work respectively.”
Artist and Professor Tesfaye Gessesse is being honored “in acknowledgment of his outstanding life-long contributions to the preservation of our culture through his prolific writings, theatrical and poetic talents, as a playwright whose work has inspired many followers of his work, as a founder of Orchestra Ethiopia, as a distinguished role model to the countless young artists in Ethiopia and Ethiopians around the globe, as a venerated teacher with his own stellar academic accomplishments and for all of his lifetime achievements.”
Teshome Wagaw, a founding member of the Ethiopian Mahber of Michigan (EMM) and co-founder of the Ethiopian American Education Foundation (EAF), is also being honored. “Known to a great number of Ethiopians from the 1960s as a pioneer Voice of America Broadcaster, Professor Emeritus, Dr. Teshome Wagaw is an outstanding scholar and exemplary role model to Ethiopians everywhere,” SEED said. “Dr. Wagaw is loved and admired by many across generations.” The organization added: “SEED honors Dr. Wagaw in acknowledgement of his contribution to the development of higher education in Ethiopia (both as respected professor and author), in recognition of his own academic accomplishments, demonstrated patriotism, unselfish devotion to humanitarian causes, unfading interest and love of country.”
For more information on 2015 SEED honorees please visit www.ethioseed.com
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If You Go:
23rd ANNUAL SEED AWARDS DINNER
SUNDAY, May 24th, 2015 at 6:30pm
Georgetown University Hotel & Conference Center
Washington DC
Tickets: $75 online
$85 on-site, $35 Children under 12
Buy Tickets Online or make check payable to SEED
P.O. Box 848, Pomona, NJ, 082401
Phone: 609- 407-0496 or 234 -380-1533
www.ethioseed.com
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