Ethiopia’s diversity has at times been a source of division. In recent years, conflicts rooted in ethnic tensions have particularly affected young people, who make up over 70 percent of the population.
“The podcast aims to offer a space where young people can examine their reality, discover their capacities, and see themselves as protagonists of social progress,” said Mrs. Assefa.
The first episode explores conceptions of human nature that transcend external characteristics and invites listeners to think about how to move beyond divisive social categorizations.
Naome Deresse, a member of a local Bahá’í community-building agency, observed: “When we speak about identity, what comes to mind is our ethnicity, nationality, religion, or gender.
“But these are really just part of our background”, she adds. “What we are beginning to understand is that we possess an inherently noble identity that transcends these limitations.”
Other interviewees echoed this thought. “Those limited identities are temporary and are subject to change,” remarked Abubeker Ali, a coordinator of Bahá’í moral and spiritual educational programs in Addis Ababa.
“What truly endures are the spiritual qualities that shape our character—qualities that are universal and shared by all people,” he said.
This recognition of humanity’s spiritual nature has profound implications for how people relate to one another, explained Carmela Tesfaye, a member of a community-building agency in the northern region of the country.
“The challenges facing the world reveal that we cannot progress in isolation—we are fundamentally interconnected,” she said.
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