He has put the broken pieces of our country together

by Zahra J. Saleh
Wednesday, October 28, 2009

 

It was long ago, and even before the nomination by UNESCO for post of Executive Committee Member for  Republic of Djibouti that I wanted to extend my appreciation and gratitude to President Ismail Omer Gelle, the president of Djibouti Republic for his superlative and noble activities towards Culture and Religion of East African states  since he came to power in 1999  to the  present.

UNESCO’S nomination of Member of Exective Committee  for the Repulic of Djbouti in UNESCO for  the coming four years  is very well deserved.

As a Somalian lady who lost everything she owned, including her childhood memories, I must say and say loudly – congratulations to you Mr. President Gelle, because you put the broken pieces of Somalia together by preserving and accommodating everything that was left from that  country’s Heritage, of including our Songs, Poetry, Music, Art and Writing,   (after the catastrophe and civil war that has been uprising since 1991”).

 

Apart from President Gelle’s support of Somali’s Heritage and Cultural preservation, he also initiated the launch of reading and writing skills in both the Somali and Afar language to fight against illiteracy in his people.

Furthermore, President Gelle and his people extended the red carpet of friendship to many Africa people who arrived in his country for better opportunities; these people are Ethiopians, Eritreans, Somalians and others. President Ismail Omer Gelle did not just create a tiny state, but a “melting pot of cultural and heritage.”

It was January 2005 when I first landed in Djibouti, a country that I had been never been to before, but I never felt like a stranger there. It’s a tiny old city but with antiquaties and so many older buildings dated from 1884 and some much, much earlier.

Djibouti, a peaceful city with inhabitants of different races, all living side by side in peace and harmony with high moral and cultural values.

They are a refined people, who are still willing to hold on to the ingredients of both -their Culture & Religion, they are excel in their dealings with the rest of world and the Djboutians  share the Nomi Trophy with their president too.

My appreciation and thankfulness to UNESCO for the nomination of Djibouti for this well deserved post in UNESCO.

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Zahra J. Saleh

A Somalian Freelance writer, based in UAE

[email protected]