Ethiopian Prime Minister says character is shaped beyond the classroom as Addis Ababa unveils Olympic-standard facilities honouring the country’s athletic legends…reports Newsdesk
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Saturday inaugurated a series of world-class sports and recreational facilities in Addis Ababa, framing the development as central to Ethiopia’s broader nation-building agenda.
The new complexes include Olympic-standard indoor and outdoor swimming pools, football pitches, volleyball courts, jogging tracks, and fully equipped gymnasiums built to international standards.
Speaking at the ceremony, Abiy said Ethiopia’s development strategy balances respect for its historic legacy with investment in its youth.
“A generation is not built solely in classrooms,” he said. “Character is shaped through interaction, empathy, and healthy competition. These facilities will help cultivate the unity and resilience needed for a strong nation.”
A notable feature of the new developments is the inclusion of monuments honouring Ethiopia’s legendary athletes — Abebe Bikila, Miruts Yifter, Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele, Derartu Tulu, and Tirunesh Dibaba. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of celebrating national heroes during their lifetimes to inspire younger generations.
Abiy also signalled a shift in development priorities, saying the government is focusing increasingly on early childhood education and skills development. He revealed that more than 35,000 kindergartens have been built in recent years, and pointed to the “5 Million Coders” initiative and new international-standard sports hubs as efforts to equip Ethiopian youth with globally competitive skills.
The Prime Minister argued that providing high-quality facilities at home can foster national pride and reduce the desire for outward migration.
Closing his remarks, Abiy highlighted Ethiopia’s demographic advantage — with an average national age of just 19 — and called for unity and sustained commitment to transforming challenges into opportunity.
“Ethiopia stands at a critical juncture,” he said. “We must secure a strong position both regionally and globally.”
