Ethiopian Sports Federation North America dedicates 30th Anniversary to Ethiopian women

By Aida Solomon

The Ethiopian Sports Federation of North America (ESFNA) is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary this summer in College Park, Maryland. The non-profit organization has been promoting Ethiopian culture and bringing Ethiopians together across North America to network with great success. The annual soccer tournament, which is held at rotating cities every year, has become a staple for the Ethiopian Diaspora to come together for a few days to socialize, engage, and network.

Due to the significance of this year’s milestone, the ESFNA is presenting this year’s tournament with the theme of “Celebrating Ethiopian Women.” The organization has deemed it important to ring-in the anniversary with a tribute to the women in our lives that serve as a support of every facet of our society.

Yared Negash, press secretary of ESFNA, says that it almost every aspect of the upcoming tournament will reflect this year’s theme. ESFNA has partnered with several organizations including the Center for Rights of Ethiopian Women and the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital to showcase notable groups working for women’s rights. “We are doing everything we can to emphasize our theme and honor the sacrifices our wives, mothers, and sisters make all over the world.”

ESFNA also aims to highlight the successes of Ethiopian women, and has invited Olympic medalists Meserat Defar, Tirunish Dibaba, and Tiki Gelana to attend the tournament. However, Negash promises that the entire week will have various events that will stick true to the theme with the same fun and excitement the tournament brings every year.

Held at the Byrd Stadium at the University of Maryland from June 30-July 6th, the tournament is sure to see a huge turnout as the DC/MD/VA area is rhymes home to over 250,000 Ethiopians. Moreover, the significance of this year’s events, special theme, and notable guests will hope to inspire Ethiopians from across USA and Canada to attend the tournament. ESFNA is sure to deliver another exciting and memorable tournament for the Ethiopian diaspora.

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