Wellington's Ethiopian community usually come together in times of turmoil, but last night they met to celebrate their new leader and the end of conflict in their home country.
Tadesse Mekonnen, Ameha Wondirad, Mehari Getahun, and Degu Gedebo gathered with Ethiopian community in Wellington to celebrate new times in their home country. Photo: RNZ / Kate Gudsell
In the three months since Abiy Ahmed became the Ethiopian Prime Minister, he has released political prisoners, unblocked hundreds of websites and TV channels and ended a border war with Eritrea.
About 100 people from the Ethiopian community turned out to Newtown Park where advocate Ameha Wondirad spoke.
He said they have been watching history in the making from New Zealand and that they never gather together for good reasons.
"Things have dramatically changed for the better, people now have hope and everyone is singing the same song like love, togetherness, humanity."
Mr Wondirad said the new leadership would make him consider moving back to his home country.
"Life here is very good, stable, but still we have millions of people back home whose life was in danger, so our heart is still in Ethiopia."
Ameha Wondirad speaking to the Ethiopian community in Newtown. Photo: RNZ / Kate Gudsell
Kalkidan Yohannes was two years old when she moved to New Zealand from Ethiopia.
She said she was proud to watch the recent goings on in her home country, and wanted to return once she had a few degrees under her belt to help with the country's development.
The 13-year-old was one of the speakers and chose to dress in a traditional Oromo costume to deliver her message to give to her local and wider community.
She urged people to start new: "Just forgive and forget or if it's not possible then just take them to court instead of having to do it through guns."
Kalkidan Yohannes, 13, spoke during the event to address her hopes for her home country. Photo: RNZ / Kate Gudsell
The chairman of the Ethiopian community in Wellington, Nigussie Fenja, said people ran away from their home countries for different reasons, but peace might drive them back.
He had high hopes for Ethiopia's new leadership and said it might mean an end to refugees coming from there.
"We want Ethiopian people to come here, but it's not going to be based on refugees, they can be immigrants."
Mr Fenja said it was an exciting time for his people and there would be millions of Ethiopians all around the world celebrating the new government.
He would like to see if his community could bring Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to New Zealand for a visit.