Panel Discussion held
Student Support Services Office, in collaboration with Hagerigna Club, organized a Panel Discussion titled, “Reflection on the Lower Omo Valley” on December 28, 2021 at Multipurpose Hall Undergraduate Campus. The objective of the Panel Discussion was to celebrate culture day not only in entertaining way, rather letting students know detail about their culture, appreciate what they have and to be able to promote their country to the outside world.
The welcoming speech was made by Ato Tedla Haile, Executive Vice President, SMU, who thanked the organizers and convey his message to students of Tourism and Hospitality Management Department telling them that they are ambassadors and should prepare themselves to show the real image of the country to foreigners.
Following the welcoming remarks, Ato Alemayehu Tsehayneh, an instructor at the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, made a brief presentation on the tribe of Dassenech, who live in the Lower Omo Valley of Southern Ethiopia. His presentation focused on the practice called Dimi/Dime, the initiation ceremony where boys and girls between the age ranges of 10-12 years are circumcised, discussing the whole procedure and what it meant for those circumcised and their parents at large.
The presentation was followed by two interviews. The first interview was on Journalism and Media with Ato Dechasa Angecha, former Reiyot Media journalist and army researcher; the Caramara Victory event lead organizer; and General Manager of Koremash Tour Association. The interview addressed the issues related to how a culture is promoted; what role media would play in preserving culture; how local media can be protected from the influence of foreign media, among others, to which he replied in detailed manner.
The second interview was conducted with Ato Alemayehu Tsehayneh, which focused on the culture of tribes living in the Lower Omo Valley. The questions directed to Ato Alemayehu included the general question on how a culture is created; the similarities and differences among the tribes living in Lower Omo Valley; why Lower Omo Valley is frequently visited by tourists; how to preserve the culture of the indigenous people of Lower Omo Valley; what the Museum at Jinka Town is doing in promoting the culture of the tribes; to which he responded supporting with his own experience.
Finally, Hagergna Club head of SMU, made closing speech, who thanked the club members for organizing the event in a very lively and participatory way.
