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OIN
News
August 1, 2001
BY
NANCY NGO
July
30, 2001 has been proclaimed Oromo Day in the city of
Minneapolis, according to a proclamation signed by Mayor
Sharon Sayles Belton and came into effect on the same
day.
The
proclamation came at a time when thousands of Oromos
from around the world have gathered in the city for
this year's annual Oromo Convention. The Convention
comprises a series of events including religious, cultural
and political conferences as well as soccer tournament
between teams from about a dozen cities in the US and
Canada.
As
part of the convention, the city of Minneapolis and
Plymouth Congregational Church co-sponsored a public
meeting on July 30 to welcome Oromos to the Twin Cities
and to cement relationship with the growing Oromo community.
In addition to hundreds of Oromos the following dignitaries
attended the meeting:
Linda
Berglin, Minnesota State Senator
LInda Higgins, Minnesota State Senator
Julie Saba, Minnesota State Senator
Jim Davine, Minnesota State Representative
Mark Gleason, Minnesota State Representative
Margaret Adnderson Kelliher, Minnesota State Representative
Carlos Mariani, Minnesota State Representative
Victoria Reinhardt, Ramsey County Commissioner
Jerry Blakey, St. Paul City Councilman
Lea Montgomery, Constituent Advocate for US Senator
Paul Wellstone
Messages
of support were received from Senator Paul Wellstone
and Roger Moe, Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate.
Dee Long delivered the Oromo week proclamation by signed
by Mayor Sayles Belton.
Dr.
Trevor Trueman delivered a speech outlining the human
rights violations taking place in Oromia. Dr. Nuro Dedefo,
Faxuma Adam and Mangistu Hika -- President of the Oromo
Community of Minnesota, President of the Minnesota Oromo
Women Association, Leader of the Oromo Seventh Day Adventist
Church, respectively -- gave speeches detailing the
problems facing the Oromo people both at home and abroad.
The
Oromia Youth Association performance group displayed
an array of cultural songs and dances. Ann Manning,
Chair of Plymouth Congregational Outreach Board, introduced
the speakers and led the program. At the end Virginia
Rickeman, Outreach Minister for the church, acknowledged
the participants.
Earlier
in the day, representatives and members of the various
Oromo community organizations in North America got together
to launch the Association of Oromo Community Organizations
in North America. This umbrella organization is expected
to be instrumental in coordinating community efforts
and mobilizing Oromos in the US and Canada to take part
in raising the voice of the Oromo people.
The
following is the full text of the proclamation marking
July 30 Oromo Day in the City of Minneapolis:
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS,
Minneapolis and the Twin Cities region are home to
approximately 12,000 Oromo people, refugees from their
homeland of Oromia in the Horn of Africa; and
WHEREAS, the Oromos of our region are hosts to a series
of events for Oromos from around the globe, celebrating
Oromo language and culture; and
WHEREAS, approximately 10,000 Oromos are expected
to participate in the cultural, spiritual and political
conferences, the soccer tournament, and the social
events which began this past weekend; and
WHEREAS, The City of Minneapolis welcomes the Oromo
people in our midst, and wishes all Oromos a very
successful gathering of their people now;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, SHARON SAYLES BELTON, Mayor of
the City of Minneapolis, do hereby proclaim Monday,
July 30, 2001 to be
OROMO DAY IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS
And urge all citizens of Minneapolis to honor this
day and take note of the Oromo people among us and
of their many accomplishments.
Signature
Mayor of Minneapolis
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