Above: The Ethiopian Students Association International will
hold its 10th annual summit in Toronto this week.
Tadias Magazine
Events News
Updated: Monday, March 22, 2010
New York (Tadias) – The Ethiopian Students Association International (ESAI) will hold its 10th anniversary summit in Toronto, Canada, from March 25th to March 28th, 2010.
ESAI, which was founded at Marymount University in Virginia in 1999 as an inter-campus network among Ethiopian students, will be hosting its annual gathering outside of the United States for the first time.
“We formed the “Toronto Ethiopian Collaborative (TEC)” to bring the 10th Annual ESAI Summit here to Toronto, the first international host city for the annual conference,” Addis Embiyalow, Managing Director of the event told Tadias Magazine. “We are excited to celebrate this milestone in our city. The greater Toronto Area has upwards of 30,000 Ethiopian residents. Most Ethiopians do not know about the vibrant, dynamic Ethiopian community here.”
According to the organizers, the three-day summit will feature various seminars, including a keynote address focusing on the digital divide.
“Our keynote speaker, Samson Teferra, will be addressing ways in which to bridge the technology gap between Ethiopia and the diaspora,” Embiyalow said. “For the last ten years, ESAI has been creating scholarship opportunities, seminars, and various resources for networking, while maintaining its status as a primary source of info for collaboration.”
Creating lasting relationships among the students remains the primary goal of the ESAI summit, says Elene Mekete, the group’s Communications Director.
“It is one of the most anticipated reasons for attendance,” she said. “The summit provides incredible networking opportunities and allows students and professionals to connect with each other.”
If You Go:
10th Annaul ESAI Summit
March 25 – 28, 2010
Toronto, Canada
Learn more at: www.esai.org
Video: The 10th Annual ESAI Summit (March 25-28)
Video: The History of ESAI
Go Toronto! Congrats on Hosting the 10th anniversay Summit. My time in ESAI is was one of the best college experiences. I still continue to be close friends with so many brilliant people from all over the country. ESAI represents the future. I am proud of you and all the best in Toronto.
It is great to see ESAI still going strong. Congrats to the new Execs on the work so far and wish you happy tenth anniversary. I hear there is a chartered bus leaving from D.C. to Toronto this week…will do my best to make it.
Cheers
I will be there! Looking forward to it ESAi.
ESAI was first founded in Kansas City, MO in 1999 during the NSBE Summit.
Catching the bus from D.C. See you in Toronto my friends!
Ethiopian Students Association International, congratulations on your 10th anniversary!
Lucas, your information is wrong. ESAI was formally organized and founded at Marymount University in Virginia in 1999. Here is the official history as recorded on our official website:
Official History of ESAI:
In the summer of 1999, a student named Wubeshet Mehari at Marymount University founded the Ethiopian Student Association International (ESAI). He began his mission by contacting and conversing with different Ethiopian Student Associations/Unions in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas and shared his idea of building a bridge between different groups in order to find strength through united goals. His mission included opening communication channels, creating grounded connections, and carrying out joint projects in order to implement a strong network of Ethiopian students.
By September, 1999, Wubeshet and his brother, Kiber, had created a web site and a listserv for the new organization. In the following months, Wubeshet was joined by Aida Muluneh, Yared Mussie and representatives of most of the ESA’s in the D.C. area to promote ESAI. By the end of the following year, ESAI had over 2000 registered members.
Some of the other leaders who helped promote ESAI were Salem T. Gugsa, Nolawi Tadesse, Mekdem Wondafrash, Meklit Berhan, Nahom Beyene, Konjit Zenas, Lilly Assefa, Hiruy Abdu, Hilena Hailu, Robel Kassa, Befekadu Ayenew.
ESAI was first established at Marymount University in 1999.