CategoriesTravel By admin

The Meskel Festival – The Finding Of The True Cross

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The Meskel Festival (Ge’ez: መስቀል, mäsqäl), is among the popular festivals in Eritrea annually celebrated vivaciously and clamorously on the 27/ 28th September (17 September according to Ge’ez calendar) mainly by Orthodox Church Christians, honoring the finding of the true cross.

The focus of the celebration is a large bonfire, locally called ‘Damera’, topped with an image of a cross, in which white clothes are tied; and the flaming ‘hoye hoye’, light torches that children carry around in the streets and from house to house on the eve of both Geez New Year and the Meskel Festival.

The colorfully clad priests and deacons beautifully chant and dance as they bless the bonfire before it is lit in a wide and open public square, Bahti Meskerem Square. To observe their brilliantly and virtuoso performance, as they sing in unison in an old liturgical language, Ge’ez, colored with the rhythmic chiming of special large church drums (Kebero), tsenatsil (a type of systrum), moquomya (long sticks used for maintaining dance rhythm) and without any other musical instruments accompaniment, is utterly elating and mesmeric.

Believers all don white traditional cloths draped in a white shawl (Netsela in a local language) flock in multitudes and solemnly observe the procession. After the Damera collapsed they collect charcoal from the remains of fire, mark their forehead with the shape of the cross and return home for lunch and drinks.

If you are interested to join a group and partake in the Meskel Festival 2024 coupled with fascinating excursions to legendary churches around Asmara, check Explore Eritrea’s upcoming events.

http://stage-com.stackstaging.com/explore-eritrea/to_book/enjoy-the-festival-of-meskel-finding-of-the-holy-cross/

 

CategoriesTravel By admin

ECA Conference In Asmara, Eritrea

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The Regional Office for Eastern Africa of the UN held the 23rd Session of its Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts (ICSOE) in Asmara, Eritrea. The ICSOE is held annually to discuss key issues and challenges about the economic and social development of the sub-region with the view to making appropriate recommendations to address them.

The meeting was attended by Senior Government Officials from fourteen-member States served by the office as well as Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) of the sub-region, development partners, research centers, media practitioners, private sector and civil society organizations and seasoned experts.

The theme of this year’s ICSOE is: “Leveraging New Opportunities for Regional Integration in Eastern Africa”. The meeting was held at Hotel Asmara Palace in Asmara, Eritrea from November 5-7, 2019.

Explore Eritrea Travel & Tours (Explore Eritrea in short), under the banner of the ‘Travel Agency Sector’ (encompassing all the country’s major tour operators and travel agencies), showcased Eritrea’s major attraction sites using a descriptive map, English and French versioned handy brochures befittingly titled as “Eritrea – A Land of Diversity!”. These fabulously enlightening and somehow eye opening materials were among the major highlight of the show and entranced several visitors, for which many take copies of the brochure in both languages, and duly explanations were provided by Explore Eritrea’s staff.

Both materials were logically organized under the theme of the country’s important historical timeline, from a significant period of the superb 30 years armed struggle to the country’s independence, 1971: Liberation of Nakfa (a stronghold and symbol of the Eritrean resistance) to 1991: Liberation of Asmara, followed by Assab, which marked the liberation of the whole Eritrea.

The descriptive map portrays Eritrea’s unique attraction spots and the nine ethnolinguistic groups under their respective regions.

The handy English and French brochures tersely introduces Eritrea’s major tourism attraction and unique heritages incorporating enchanting culture, picturesque modernist cities, the Dahlak Islands, archeological sites, mystic monasteries, exciting ecotourism, 19th century steam train and more.
The Regional Office for Eastern Africa of the UN held the 23rd Session of its Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts (ICSOE) in Asmara, Eritrea. The ICSOE is held annually to discuss key issues and challenges about the economic and social development of the sub-region with the view to making appropriate recommendations to address them.

The meeting was attended by Senior Government Officials from fourteen-member States served by the office as well as Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) of the sub-region, development partners, research centers, media practitioners, private sector and civil society organizations and seasoned experts.

The theme of this year’s ICSOE is: “Leveraging New Opportunities for Regional Integration in Eastern Africa”. The meeting was held at Hotel Asmara Palace in Asmara, Eritrea from November 5-7, 2019.

Explore Eritrea Travel & Tours (Explore Eritrea in short), under the banner of the ‘Travel Agency Sector’ (encompassing all the country’s major tour operators and travel agencies), showcased Eritrea’s major attraction sites using a descriptive map, English and French versioned handy brochures befittingly titled as “Eritrea – A Land of Diversity!”. These fabulously enlightening and somehow eye opening materials were among the major highlight of the show and entranced several visitors, for which many take copies of the brochure in both languages, and duly explanations were provided by Explore Eritrea’s staff.

Both materials were logically organized under the theme of the country’s important historical timeline, from a significant period of the superb 30 years armed struggle to the country’s independence, 1971: Liberation of Nakfa (a stronghold and symbol of the Eritrean resistance) to 1991: Liberation of Asmara, followed by Assab, which marked the liberation of the whole Eritrea.

The descriptive map portrays Eritrea’s unique attraction spots and the nine ethnolinguistic groups under their respective regions.

The handy English and French brochures tersely introduces Eritrea’s major tourism attraction and unique heritages incorporating enchanting culture, picturesque modernist cities, the Dahlak Islands, archeological sites, mystic monasteries, exciting ecotourism, 19th century steam train and more.