On April 25th, we hosted an open seminar titled 'Green Legacy Initiative of Ethiopia' featuring Ambassador Daba of Ethiopia to Japan.

On April 25 (Thursday), the International Platform for Dryland Research and Education (IPDRE) welcomed Daba Debele Hundie, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Japan, and hosted a public seminar on the "Green Legacy Initiative of Ethiopia" at the Public Relations Center on the Koyama Campus of Tottori University. The Green Legacy Initiative, which began in Ethiopia in 2019, is an ambitious effort aimed at planting billions of seedlings over eight years to address forest conservation, climate change, sustainable land management, and biodiversity, among other critical environmental issues. The event was well-attended by faculty and students from Tottori University, and it sparked active discussions.

During the seminar, Ambassador Daba, who has also served as the Director of Agriculture in Oromia State, delivered a lecture that covered over an hour on the progress, outcomes, challenges, and future prospects of the initiative. He highlighted how this initiative has become a steady effort involving different layers of government, private enterprises, communities, and individuals within the country, and how the movement is also benefiting neighboring countries. Ambassador Daba also expressed gratitude for the many Ethiopian faculty and students at Tottori University who have been actively engaged in research and contributing to developments in various fields in Ethiopia. He noted the expected contributions toward a sustainable society through the academic communities of both countries.

During the Q&A session, faculty and students raised numerous questions about the initiative, including challenges related to water supply and the survival rate of the seedlings. Ambassador Daba shared that there are other government programs related to irrigation and that these challenges are still recognized as ongoing issues. He also mentioned how knowledge sharing with neighboring countries is being advanced through various international platforms.

Finally, the Ambassador shared his intention to continue disseminating information about Ethiopia's environmental initiatives and their significance and expressed his hopes for the ongoing exchange between Tottori University and Ethiopia. The meeting concluded with these shared messages.

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