The Head of Global Tourism Institution-ECTT H.E. Professor Dr. Anton Caragea gives the start of Addis Ababa Culture and Tourism Festival and of Addis Ababa-WORLD`S CAPITAL OF CULTURE AND TOURISM manifestations.
President Professor Dr. Anton Caragea delegation to Jimma and Abba Jifar palaces included a number of global tourism executives like: the Director of European Tourism Academy, Academician Dr. Mircea Constantinescu, Director for Hospitality and Development Mr. Pavel Avramoiu, Mr. Vasile Vlasin-Head of Investment Division in European Council on Tourism and Trade and former Prime Minister of Albania Mr. Mark Doda, Chairman of Balkan Tourism Organization.
An extensive cultural programme was carved out for President Professor Dr. Anton Caragea and his delegates and destined to offer them an extensive Ethiopian experience.
The European Council on Tourism and Trade delegation visited the provinces of Kaffa and Jimma, the birth place of coffee and the famous Palace of Abba Jifar located in Jimma.
Jimma tourism potential and Abba Jiffar Museum as well as the city open markets left an indelible mark on the delegates who appreciated the city architecture and elegance and Islamic heritage potential and valued the impressive remains of the Abba Jifar palace towering over the city.
The ECTT delegation enjoyed also an exclusive tour of the tourism and cultural potential of Addis Ababa environs like the natural crater lakes of Bishoftu and the splendid religious and cultural complex of Debre Libanos.
Debre Libanos unique role in Ethiopian Church development and the rich museum collections of the Debre Libanos Monastery are powerful elements destined to make the area a hot tourism spot.
In the familiarization tour around Addis Ababa the delegation had explored the Addis Ababa City Museum, The Ethnographic Museum (hosted in former Imperial palace Genet Leul, Haile Selassie Museum, National Museum etc.) the Saint George Cathedral and Holy Trinity and Entoto Heritage Area (encompassing the Palace of Emperor Menelik II, Churches Myriam Entoto and Saints Raguel and Elias).
President Dr. Anton Caragea emphasized as urgency the enacted as a special tourism and cultural preserve of the Entoto Area, in order to ensure its better protection and tourism role in development of Addis Ababa and highly valued the decision taken by the new dispensation of the Head of Government of Adds Ababa Takele Uma Benti to promote a safe and cultural oriented tourism in the city.
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You can read more about the letter for tourism and development leaders on:
LETTER ADDRESSED TO WORLD LEADERS OF TOURISM FOR CAMBODIA
LETTER ADDRESSED TO WORLD LEADERS OF TOURISM FOR ETHIOPIA
GLOBAL AMBASSADOR FOR TOURISM: ACADEMICIAN HUN SEN
PHNOM PENH-WORLD CAPITAL OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
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ECTT and Ethiopia have agreed to reinforce their collaboration in the areas of cultural protection, historical promotion, sustainable tourism development, public-private partnerships and marketing strategies etc.
European Council on Tourism and Trade delegates having in the center Mr. Mark Doda-Head of Balkan Tourism Organization are enjoying an interesting cultural show in Ethiopia`s capital: Addis Ababa.
ABBA JIFAR PALACE-MAIN INFORMATION
Apart from its coffee production and intact natural beauty, Jimma is also known for its history. Jimma served as a center of the early Oromo monarchy known as the Five Gibe Kingdoms at a place site called Jiren, which is 9 kilometers to the north of Jimma. This line was the line of the 19th century long distance trade route whereby 30,000 people used to attend the ancient great Thursday market at Hirmata, the current site of the Jimma town.
Historical palace of Sultan Abba Jifar (1853-1925) and Jimma museum antiquities are also among the major historical heritages that make Jimma one of the major tourist destinations of Oromia.
Abba Jifar Palace (1853 – 1925): Before being incorporated into the central Christian Empire of Ethiopia, Jimma was one and the strongest of the five autonomous Gibe kingdoms of the Oromo people under the leadership of Abba Jifar Abba Gomal, best known as King Abba Jifar also known by his Islamic name (Sultan Muhammad Dawud Ibn Ibrahim) of Jimma.
Abba Jifar Palace
Towards the end of the 1860’s, King Abba Jifar built his palace at Jiren which costed him 400 kg. of gold and 65,000 Maria Theresa. This palace still stands with its colorful architectural beauty. In the compound of the palace, there are other four buildings: the public mosquareue, the mosquareue of Abba Jifar, residential palace of Abba Jifar and residential building of Abba Jobir Abba Dula (the grandson of Abba Jifar).
Jimma Museum displays most of the historic materials of King Abba Jifar, his kingdom and cultural objects of the local Oromo people and that of the other ethnic groups around Kafa. The first set of collection in this museum is the personal household furniture of the king which includes his beds, tables, arm chairs, utensils, religious manuscripts and others.