The holidays tend to be a time when people travel home to see their families. However, this season it appears that heading “home” — at least for one particular group of young Ethiopians — meant doing away with domestic travel and deepening their connection to their ancestral land
In manifesting this goal, the group — comprised of four Habesha creatives from across the world — came together to curate a first-of-its-kind experience called “Destination Ethiopia.”
“Destination Ethiopia” is a week-long program put together by event organizers Melate Bekele, Jonathan Bekele, Nate Zion Makonnen and Yoniael Belete. The program packs in elaborate events that aim to attract Habeshas (people of Ethiopian and Eritrean descent) who live across the diaspora to return to their homeland for the holidays and establish a deep-rooted sense of loyalty and love for their country.
“Our goal for this trip is for our attendees to have an affinity for their country, people and culture,” Melate told Blavity. “We hope this is just the beginning in their admiration and responsibility to bridge the gaps in Ethiopia. We also hope people will create new connections on this trip that will be a vehicle to mobilize and empower our diaspora community abroad.”
You can count on the itinerary to make sure of it. The trip, which kicked off on Jan. 1, includes an impressive lineup of highly-engaging and entertaining panels, concerts and trips that make for unforgettable moments that are sure to leave attendees impressed and inspired. The program also includes a trip to Asmara, Eritrea — Ethiopia's neighboring country.
Check out the itinerary below:
High-profile performing Habesha artists like Berhana will also be participating and hosting concerts as part of the trip.
Melate, who is based in LA and is the founder of a nation-wide community organization called Habesha Networks, is leading the efforts in organizing and promoting the Homebound trip for HN members around the world.
She is working closely with Nate, who lives in London and is the cofounder of EthioNxtGen — a similar non-profit organization that brings together young Ethiopian professionals around the UK for networking opportunities, conferences and recreational activities. Nate is helping to provide the same leadership efforts for the trip. Jonathan, who is based in Boston, is managing the artists and influencers attending the trip as well as helping to curate several of the experiences through his events marketing company Anbessa.
The three stay in close communication with Yoniael, who lives in Addis Ababa — the capitol of Ethiopia, and manages international marketing for Kuriftu Resorts. Kuriftu is an extravagant resort that aims to rebrand the country in a new light by providing luxury accommodations that include a water park, high-end service and impressive events.
Yoniael essentially serves as everyone’s ground support for the “Destination Ethiopia” experience, helping to unify all event organizers and create a balanced itinerary that helps promote Ethiopia as a viable tourist and travel destination.
“People should know that we are a foodie, adventure junkie and history snob hub that needs to be explored, documented, shared and loved by everyone,” he told Blavity. “There is literally so much to eat, explore and experience that it remains a mystery why we are not one of the top destinations to visit in the world.
Nate wholeheartedly agrees — and believes that the western narrative is at fault for promoting perceptions of Ethiopia as being draped in poverty, which he says is woefully inaccurate and incomplete. In fact, Ethiopia was recognized for having the fastest growing economies in 2018.
“Let’s face it, there is still so much that can be done to reverse the brain drain from Africa and even more that must be done to encourage people of Ethiopian descent living in the west to explore the motherland as more than just a holiday destination,” he said. “Ethiopia is a country with vast opportunities and significant challenges. There is much that we can do to contribute to the rapid transformation and development of the country. The first step is to encourage people to gain genuine and visceral experiences that can open up their minds to the possibilities.”
“The truth is that all I see is a richness that goes deeper than in many nations,” he added. “It’s on us, as Africans and diaspora people to bring Ethiopia and Africa to the world stage.”
The four of them have stepped up to do just that by curating an experience they all hope will build potential for growth across all of Ethiopia’s sectors and result in more direct investments, new partnerships, start-ups and creative projects as well as strengthen a sense of loyalty that will inspire people to come back more often. They plan on making “Destination Ethiopia” an annual holiday experience — and have all the ambition and drive to make it happen by continuing to build the country’s profile through socially and culturally conscious ways.
Read through our Q&A with them below on how they plan on making it an unforgettable trip:
Why do you think hosting a trip like “Destination Ethiopia” is so necessary and what purpose does it serve?
Yoniael: The diaspora and local community need more chances to bond, network and create meaningful connections. By providing a steady itinerary of amazing experiences we can help fill that gap in exposure from both ends and create a more harmonious environment full of collaboration, investment and ground breaking innovations in the long run.
Why do you think it's important to encourage more people across the diaspora to travel to Ethiopia?
Jonathan: To know thyself you must know where you come from. Your culture and where your parents came from ultimately led you to the life you live now and their journey is just as important as yours and I think all Habeshas need to respect that fact. We saw this most recently in the footage of the late Ermias Asghedom's (Nipsey Hussle) journey back to Eritrea and his father's happiness to have both his sons with him back home. I resonated with that because it reminded me of my first time really going back a little older and able to understand what was going on, feeling like a stranger but at the same time so at home.
What are you looking forward to on this experience?
Melate: I am looking forward to people transforming from this trip where they will consciously make an effort to integrate Ethiopia into their lives. I am excited to watch people connect from all over the world in one place, which will naturally yield resources to Ethiopia, people making new friends, and love matches.
What do you want others to know most about Ethiopia?
Nate: That visiting could deconstruct many of their misconceptions. That it’s a land of beautiful people with warm hearts and scenery that will take your breath away. That’s it on the rise and is one of the world’s fastest growing economies. That it’s a land of opportunities for those willing to go and see for themselves.
