Honored to speak at the 2025 Eritrean Festival in Stockholm, witnessed unity, culture, resilience and community spirit celebrated vibrantly firsthand.
Reflections on the 2025 Eritrean Festival in Scandinavia – Stockholm, Sweden
I had the great honor of participating in the 2025 Eritrean Festival in Scandinavia, held in Stockholm, Sweden under the banner: "Our Cohesion, Our Armor." This was my first time attending the festival in Sweden, and it was also the first time I was formally honored by an Eritrean community abroad in such a meaningful way.
The festival, which brought together Eritrean communities from across Scandinavia—including Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and beyond—was a vibrant, powerful, and emotional experience. I was invited to speak about my book, Eritrea: The Struggle is Long, Victory is Certain, and to share my perspective on regional issues, including the current situation in Ethiopia and broader geopolitical dynamics affecting the Horn of Africa.
Being given a platform to share my voice and insights was a tremendous privilege—a moment of recognition that I deeply cherish. For the first time, I felt truly seen and appreciated for the work I’ve been doing over the years.
The event spanned four days, from Thursday, July 24 to Sunday, July 27, and was marked by incredible organization, discipline, and community spirit. Upon arrival, the hospitality was exceptional—accommodations, transportation, food, and all logistical matters were handled seamlessly by a team of dedicated and well-coordinated volunteers. Their professionalism and generosity made every guest feel at home.
The Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony on Thursday set the tone for the entire event. Just minutes before it began, an announcement was made over the loudspeaker across the massive campground—which hosted tens of thousands of people. I had the privilege of accompanying Ambassador Fesshazion Pietros, the Chargé d’Affaires and Embassy staff of Eritrea in Sweden, alongside religious leaders including priests and sheikhs, as we gathered for the flag-raising ceremony.
Surrounded by thousands, we watched as youth representing all nine ethnic groups of Eritrea, dressed in traditional clothing, sang the national anthem with pride. These young Eritreans—aged roughly 10 to 17—embodied the future of Eritrea with dignity and grace. It was a deeply moving moment, symbolizing our unity and shared heritage.
Following that was a ribbon-cutting ceremony, led by Ambassador Petros, who also gave a powerful address on the current state of Eritrea, including updates on the nation’s relationship with Italy—a timely topic, as a high-level Italian delegation was preparing to visit Eritrea just days later.
The Festival Spirit
From there, the festival took off. What followed was four days of music, discussion, culture, and celebration. The sense of community was overwhelming. An estimated 28,000 Eritreans attended—families from all over the world gathering in peace, joy, and shared identity. What made this even more impressive was that everything was organized and run by volunteers.
Each community had its own tent—known as a kushet—representing cities from across Scandinavia. These tents offered food, drinks, and warm hospitality. Some served traditional breakfasts like ful; others offered barbecue, suwa, coffee, and even hamburgers—each with both indoor and outdoor seating, serving hundreds at a time. The scale and efficiency were astounding, all thanks to the tireless work of mothers, fathers, youth, and elders who volunteered in every role—from cooking and serving to managing cash and logistics.
While vendors were present, they were respectfully placed toward the back of the event space. The focus was clearly on the communities, their unity, and their expression of Eritrean culture.
A Personal Honor
During the closing ceremony, all participants were honored—and to my surprise, I was the first to be called forward and recognized. It was an emotional and humbling moment. To be celebrated by my community for the work I have dedicated myself to was deeply affirming.
From Challenge to Triumph
The 2025 Eritrean Festival in Scandinavia was more than a cultural gathering—it was a symbol of victory. In the years leading up to 2023, Eritreans in Stockholm faced persistent hostility from those who sought to disrupt our annual celebrations, vandalizing tents and campgrounds. That aggression was met with resilience, and ultimately, the rule of law prevailed. By 2024, when the community gathered, it was a celebration of that victory.
This year, 2025, the celebration was different—it was not about responding to adversity, but about embracing peace and cohesion. Eritreans celebrated freely, as law-abiding, peaceful citizens and visitors who bring vitality to Sweden’s economy by filling local hotels, restaurants, and businesses. The festival showed Swedish authorities—and the world—that Eritreans are a disciplined, united, and contributing part of the society they live in.
This was a festival where Eritreans truly prevailed—and one that will stand as a proud chapter in the ongoing story of our unity and endurance
What I Took Away
More than anything, what I took from this experience was the spirit—the unity, the friendliness, the meticulous organization, and the genuine joy of people coming together to celebrate one another. The discipline, the punctuality, and the commitment to excellence reflected the stability and vision of a people who know where they are going.
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the organizers, to the Embassy of Eritrea in Sweden, to Ambassador Fesshazion Pietros, and to the countless volunteers and participants who made this possible. I hesitate to name individuals only because so many were involved, and I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out. But please know—I see you, and I thank you.
This was more than a festival. It was a living testament to our shared values, our culture, our resilience—and the unwavering bond of Eritrean identity. After the historic festivals of Bologna over five decades ago, this year’s gathering in Stockholm captured that same spirit with extraordinary strength.
It is an experience that every Eritrean—especially in the diaspora—should witness at least once.
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