Joaquin Matamis<\/b><\/p>\n
Staff Writer\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
During the 2019 Spring break, fifteen diplomacy students and I had the opportunity to study abroad in Ethiopia. The trip\u2019s parallel academic course, African Union Conflict Resolution Mechanisms, was open to both undergraduate and graduate students alike. Dr.\u00a0Assefaw Bariagaber, Professor of African Studies and the Post-Conflict State Reconstruction and Sustainability Certificate Program, led the trip alongside Susan Malcolm, General-Secretary of the School of Diplomacy.<\/span><\/p>\n Dr.\u00a0Bariagaber\u2019s\u00a0course was designed to ask and answer two particular questions: Has the AU contributed in some way to the positive developments in Africa? What is the AU\u2019s role in conflict resolution?\u00a0During our first few days, we immersed ourselves in the culture of Ethiopia. The group was quickly introduced to the hot weather of Ethiopia\u2019s dry season, which was a welcome change to the winter of the American mid-Atlantic region.\u00a0The country offered a variety of new foods to try including injera, the country\u2019s signature sourdough flatbread, and the occasional Tej, or honey wine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our group visited\u00a0many\u00a0historic and cultural\u00a0sites. The first included the towering \u201cstelae\u201d obelisks of Axum. These stelae, originating from the year four AD, marked the tombs of\u00a0ancient\u00a0kings and remain iconic symbols of Ethiopia\u2019s ancient capital city.\u00a0The \u201cFasil Ghebbi\u201d castle compound\u00a0of Gondar was a remarkable sight. The 17<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0century medieval grounds housed the remains of Emperor Fasilides\u2019 fortress, Empress\u00a0Mentewab\u2019s\u00a0castle, and many other surviving buildings like the stables and dance hall.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps my favorite were the\u00a0churches of\u00a0Lalibela. Their most unique feature lies in the construction: each church was hewn out of a single rock and all still survive from the 13<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0century with little restoration.\u00a0Charlidza\u00a0Pierre, a graduate student who attended the trip, said, \u201cI think it was really impressive how they were built from the top down, especially considering the resources they had at the time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Each city gave us a glimpse of the\u00a0different lifestyles\u00a0and regional traditions of the Ethiopian people, varying from\u00a0unique Christian\u00a0practices to distinct art and architecture. Following the cultural component were the academic and diplomatic activities. The U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia welcomed our delegation with open arms, even hosting a number of guest speakers to explain the operations of the missions to Ethiopia and the AU itself. Students could ask questions and gain greater insights on organizations like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the various political, security, and economic branches of the American embassy. We even had the chance to meet with the U.S. Ambassador to the AU: The Honorable Mary Beth Leonard.<\/span><\/p>\n Our delegation also met with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA),\u00a0which held a lecture on the improved economic condition of Africa as a whole. Students learned more about the regional economic communities that make up Africa, such as The Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) and The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as well as future issues with gaining economic stability and unity.<\/span><\/p>\n The highlight of our trip, however, was our visit to the AU headquarters itself. Staff members greeted us and gave a tour of the\u00a0facility and grounds. The illustrious conference center and office complex hosts the annual Assembly of African nations, and rivals the UN headquarters in both size and beauty. The trip ended with talks from various AU commission heads and administrators, who discussed different matters of peace and security in Africa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While any study abroad trip is fruitful for students, the trip to Ethiopia was certainly a memorable one.\u00a0Students found themselves at the heart of the developing African world and in the middle of the thriving, bustling metropolis of Addis Ababa. With the combined wealth of culture, history, and new-found economic prosperity, the trip, according to Dr.\u00a0Bariagaber, \u201ccame at the right moment.\u201d\u00a0The professor also added his own words of praise, stating, \u201cStudents loved it!\u00a0Some of them [from past years] even went back and formed\u00a0an\u00a0NGO. It seems to me that many students fell in love with the country itself.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With the amount of opportunities at Seton Hall, students will find attending study abroad trips like Ethiopia well worth their time. The School of Diplomacy hosts a number of study abroad trips and seminars. When asked again about Ethiopia, Dr.\u00a0Bariagaber\u00a0added his final words:\u00a0\u201cThere is a lot to be seen and students will be well served to see the country…\u00a0It truly creates a lasting impression.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" During the 2019 Spring break, fifteen diplomacy students and I had the opportunity to study abroad in Ethiopia. The trip\u2019s parallel academic course, African Union Conflict Resolution Mechanisms, was open to both undergraduate and graduate students alike. Dr. Assefaw Bariagaber, Professor of African Studies and the Post-Conflict State Reconstruction and Sustainability Certificate Program, led the trip alongside Susan Malcolm, General-Secretary of the School of Diplomacy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1654,382,385],"tags":[749,1072,1578,1655],"class_list":["post-7681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-april-2019","category-international-news","category-africa","tag-ethiopia","tag-tourism","tag-1578","tag-shu"],"yoast_head":"\n