President Mulatu laid a wreath at Victory Monument
President Mulatu laid a wreath at Victory Monument

Addis Ababa – Ethiopia celebrated the 74th anniversary of Patriots’ Victory Day that marks the end of Italian occupation on Tuesday.

The Day that marks the end of the Italian occupation is a public holiday, celebrated on 5th May to commemorates those who died during the occupation and honor veterans of the resistance movement.

The Second Italo-Ethiopian War fought between October 1935 and May 1936 ended in favor of Fascist Italy and led to the five-year Italian occupation.

The war waged to avenge the battle of Adwa, in which Italy was defeated by Ethiopia, and colonize the latter.

However, the five-year occupation was not a peaceful experience for Fascist Italy because of bitter internal resistance led to the end of its occupation in 1941.

The day celebrated at the Victory Monument, in the capital Addis Ababa with various assortments with the presence of high-level officials, patriots and residents.

After laying a wreath at the Victory Monument, erected to commemorate the patriots, President Mulatu Teshome said the victory of the patriots against the invaders is the victory of all African freedom fighters.

Ethiopia, which had been fighting invaders in different times, is now in a war with the major enemy of the nation, poverty, he said, urging the public to work together to eradicate it.

Source: ENA