Latest news with #Wolde
The Star
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
Feature: Ethiopian students embrace Chinese language amid growing Sino-Ethiopian ties
by Xinhua writers Muluneh Gebre, Liu Fangqiang ADDIS ABABA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Abdi Waktola, 21, a fourth-year Chinese language student at Addis Ababa University (AAU), first became interested in learning Chinese after meeting Chinese workers a decade ago in his hometown in Ethiopia's Oromia Regional State. "I was surprised when I heard the hardworking Chinese workers speaking Mandarin (standard Chinese language). It sounded wild to me, but also fascinating. Since then, my desire to learn Mandarin started to grow," Waktola told Xinhua in a recent interview during celebrations marking Chinese Language Day, an annual observance established by the United Nations in 2010 and held on April 20 each year. He said his passion for the language was fueled not only by personal interest but also by encouragement from senior university students and the growing demand for Chinese language skills in Ethiopia's job market. "After learning Chinese, I got involved in various income-generating activities, especially with Chinese companies in Ethiopia. Learning Chinese is very rewarding in a country like Ethiopia, where Chinese investment is on the rise," he said. According to Ethiopian Investment Commissioner Zeleke Temesgen, China remains a leading source of foreign direct investment in Ethiopia, with more than 4,500 Chinese projects currently operating in the East African country, making China the largest foreign investor in both project numbers and capital. Another young Ethiopian, Tayamlak Wolde, has built a career around the Chinese language. Working as an interpreter between Mandarin and Amharic, Ethiopia's official working language, Wolde facilitates communication for Chinese companies both in Ethiopia and abroad. "I chose to study Chinese because of the growing socio-economic ties between China and Ethiopia, and China's expanding presence in Africa," said Wolde, a graduate of the Confucius Institute at Hawassa University in southern Ethiopia. "My Chinese language skills have enabled me to earn a living by offering translation and interpretation services locally and internationally. It helps me understand Chinese history and culture," he said. Wolde, who also studied in China, showcased traditional Chinese dances during this year's Chinese Language Day celebrations in Ethiopia. With support from Chinese friends, he even got a high-paying job as an interpreter for a Chinese company in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. The 2025 Chinese Language Day was celebrated last week under the theme "Chinese Language: A Gift Across Time and Space" at the Confucius Institute at the Ethiopian Technical and Vocational Training Institute (TVTI). The event featured cultural performances, including songs, kung fu displays, and traditional dances by Ethiopian students learning Chinese. In addition to AAU and TVTI, the Chinese language is now taught as a general-interest course or academic major in many public schools across Ethiopia. To meet growing demand, Ethiopia is not only opening more Confucius Institutes but also training local Mandarin teachers. Earlier this month, AAU and the Oromia Education Bureau signed a memorandum of understanding in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa to train Chinese language instructors to teach Mandarin in Oromia, Ethiopia's largest region. The program will start next academic year. "The agreement focuses on building the capacity of teachers who will teach Mandarin in Oromia's boarding and secondary schools. Our aim is to train about 30 teachers each year," said AAU President Samuel Kifle. Noting the vital role the Confucius Institute at AAU will play in implementing the program, Kifle said, "It has been instrumental in providing Chinese teachers at certificate, undergraduate, and master's degree levels." "Once the new program is launched, the Institute will be fully involved," he said.
Scoop
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Dawit Wolde Of Ethiopia Claims First Gifu Half Marathon Title In 1:00:06
Today on Sunday, April 27, the Gifu Half Marathon 2025 took place in Gifu City, Japan, and Dawit Wolde of Ethiopia and Janet Nyiva of Kenya captured their first titles, clocking 1:00:06 and 1:07:37. Founded by Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalist and Gifu native Naoko Takahashi, this World Athletics Gold Label event was created to further promote the sport of athletics and give back to the local community. Under clear, early-summer skies, the 14th edition race featured thrilling head-to-head battles between seasoned veterans and promising newcomers. The race began in favorable conditions of 15.7°C with a light 0.9 m/s breeze. In the men's race, Wolde, a 33-year-old with a personal best of 59:58, led the front pack of five alongside debutant Sitonik Kiprono of Kenya and Yegon Vincent of Kenya. After passing the 10 km mark in 28:29, Wolde and Kiprono pulled away from the rest near the 12 km water station, setting up an intense duel. Approaching the 20 km point, Wolde surged ahead, gradually widening his lead until he crossed the finish line at Nagaragawa Stadium filled with the crowd's cheers in 1:00:06. Reflecting on the race, he said, 'Kiprono had great stamina, but I'm glad I could increase my speed at the end.' Kiprono finished second in 1:00:13, with Vincent taking third in 1:01:17. In the women's race, World Championships gold (2022) and silver (2023) medalist Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia and 21-year-old debutant Janet Nyiva, who holds a 10000m best of 31:16.01, took the lead from the start. The former world champion and the young rising star ran side by side in a tense battle, but around the 18km mark, Janet surged ahead to break away and continued her charge to the finish, winning her half marathon debut in 1:07:37. Gebreslase placed second in 1:08:29, followed by Eunice Chebichii Chumba of Bahrain in 1:09:07. The top Japanese woman was Kana Kobayashi, who has been selected to represent Japan in the marathon at this fall's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. She finished fourth with a time of 1:09:09, shaving nearly five minutes off her personal best. The top Japanese man was Tsubasa Ichiyama, who placed sixth with a time of 1:02:21. In addition to the world's top elite athletes, 8,952 runners from Japan and abroad took part in the Gifu Half Marathon 2025, enjoying the course that showcased Gifu's charm—from the magnificent nature of the Nagara River to the historic scenery of Gifu Castle and the castle town, as well as the lively downtown around Gifu Station and Yanagase shopping arcade. Along the course, volunteers and local residents cheered enthusiastically to support the runners, and at the finish area, Race Chairperson Naoko herself welcomed finishers with smiles and high-fives, embodying the spirit of Gifu City coming together to help every runner cross the finish line. Race Chairperson Naoko Takahashi comments: "In my competitive days, long-distance running was seen as a grueling sport that demanded endurance and sheer grit—something to watch, not to enjoy. After the 2000 Olympics, when I said in an interview, 'It was such an enjoyable 42 kilometers,' my comment was met with surprise. Now, seeing so many people sharing that same joy and enjoying running together makes me incredibly happy. Fourteen years since the race was founded, I feel that our original wish—to create an event that both top elites and amateur runners could enjoy the experience together—is finally becoming a reality." About the Gifu Half Marathon The Gifu Half Marathon, Japan's first and only World Athletics Gold Label half marathon race, is held annually in April in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Naoko Takahashi, the 2000 Sydney Olympic marathon champion and former world record holder who became the first woman in history to run a marathon in under two hours and 20 minutes, launched the race in her hometown of Gifu in 2011 to hold a world-class race in Japan. The race, which started with the theme 'From Gifu to the World' to send Japanese athletes off to international competitions, has now evolved into an event that attracts runners 'From the World to Gifu,' having signed a partnership with the Sydney Marathon, Australia, in 2023, and the Bangsaen21, Thailand, in 2024. The scenic course with the clear Nagara River and Mt. Kinka with the historic Gifu Castle towering above, refreshment stations offering local delicacies, and hospitality provided by local citizens are the popular features of the event.
