The 2010 London Eritrean festival is being held in Edmonton Green, the three day event is celebrating its 10th year anniversary and is more anticipated than ever. Edmonton Green is a wide stretch of green open land ironically reminding you of the Eritrean countryside with fresh air and smiling faces welcoming you. Although there is much to be done at the festival, there is a calm relaxed approached to the work effort, yet everything is been completed on time. On occasion it becomes easy to forget that you are actually in the busy city of London and begin to believe you are strolling down Liberation Avenue in Asmara.
In the centre of the festival is tall pole holding the main focal point. Although today it may seem that it is out-of-place tomorrow’s official opening ceremony will be dedicated to raising the Eritrean flag up high on this pole. Surrounding the pole is more than a dozen white tents in different sizes, but all with only two aims, to educate and to entertain. The event has been cleverly designed to accommodate to everyone’s needs, from food stalls to ice cream for the children to widescreen televisions for football fans to watch the world cup games.
Guest of Honour H.E. Osman Saleh Eritrea Foreign Minister, Eritrean Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland H.E Tesmicael Gerahtu , members of the Embassy and hundreds of people attended on the first day .
After a moment of silence for those who lost their lives, opening speech held by Dr. Tewolde Woldekidan Chairman of Eritrean People Campaign Committee. He gave details to the meaning behind the festival as being “a glorious occasion designed to gather the immense Eritrean family in the United Kingdom”. Dr Tewolde described the importance of the festival to be the enlightenment of the values of Eritrean customs inflicted on not only the next generation but towards all the generations to come. Continuing from the opening speech was the dancing that began. The cultural concert was a breath of fresh air with people not only dancing but also waving flags and umbrellas covered with the Eritrean flag. It allow people to have a preview into what was to follow in the coming days. The festival will remain opened until Sunday 4th July.
Nebiat Michael
Festival Media Centre