The International Organization for Migration Special Liaison Office (IOM/SLO) is celebrating this year’s International Migrants Day with the theme “Saving Migrants’ Lives” on 18 December. In Addis Ababa, IOM is celebrating the event with a series of events starting from 9th to 18th December.

On Thursday December 18, IOM will mark the day with a marching of police band through the streets of Addis Ababa from the National Theatre to Hilton Hotel. At the Hilton Hotel, there will be a cultural program with a photo exhibition of IOM’s activities on saving migrants’ lives, performances of poetic jazz and a drama, followed by a testimony of an Ethiopian irregular migrant. IOM will also present a class of graduands who attended vocational training at IOM’s partner Agar, after returning from the Middle East.

In Addis Ababa, IOM started the celebration of International Migrants Day with a two day event entitled Surprising Europe: No more lies about paradise on 9th and 10th December in cooperation with the Italian Cultural Institute. During these two days, 15 documentary films were screened followed by a panel discussion involving the audience, which included many university students. The aim of the event was to contribute to the debate on international migration by using short films to show a mix of serious and lighter topics related to migration and the lives of migrants in Europe.

On December 15 and 16, IOM organized a two day training on International Migration Law, which was the fourth training of its kind organized in Ethiopia. This year, the training was provided for diplomats and officials from different African countries represented in Ethiopia, as well as African Union and IOM staff members. At the conclusion of the training, the participants received certificates from Mr. Josiah Ogina, IOM Ethiopia Special Liaison Office’s Chief of Mission and Representative to AU/ECA/IGAD.

On December 17, IOM in collaboration with Agar celebrated the event with Ethiopian returnees who graduated from various vocational trainings. The Addis Ababa Bureau of Labour and Social Affairs in collaboration with the Addis Ababa City administration identified the returnees who needed the training