Haramaya University gave a two-day training to Abagadas (community elders), religious leaders, the youth group (Qero), and district leaders, who comes from Haramaya and neighboring districts and provinces on the importance of the Geda System in peace development and related topics from September 25-26, 2018 at the Resource Center.
During the opening ceremony, Prof. Jeylan Woleyie, Vice-president of Administrative and Student Affairs said, “By teaching the Geda System and its customs and values to the new generation, we can be able to maintain peace and tolerance in the society; And the society itself will take its responsibility of keeping peace.”
The main objectives of the training were creating an awareness related to current political issues and keeping the community’s peace by the community members themselves. The training revolved around three major topics: the values of the Geda System; the meaning of peace and the strength of the society keeping its peace; and the current political issues and obstacles. Discussion ideas were presented by professionals in the area with a discussion session following. The trainees appreciated the training and promised to share the knowledge that they received on the role of the Geda System in peace keeping and the hospitable culture of the Oromo people to live together with other ethnicities in the country.
In his closing remark, Dr. Jemal Yousuf, Delegate President of the University, said, “Even if the system of democracy is not a recent phenomenon to Oromo society, but as a country, democracy has been a new incident for the longest time. At the time, the journey to democracy should be supported by all societies in order to help maintain the supremacy of the law in the country.Respectively, the society should keep the culture of peace and tolerance.”
The training was organized by the Office of the Vice-president for Community Engagement and Enterprise Development.
