Friederich Nietzsche once quipped that when fighting for freedom, one has to distinguish between ‘freedom from’ and ‘freedom for’. Unless your ‘freedom from’ leads to a freedom for something, that freedom might as well be another form of Unfreedom- or in the language of the 18th century, Slavery.
That said, ዮሃና ንህቢ ኤርትራ ሳላ ቓልስኻ ቐተልትኻ ቀይርካ 35ን ዓመት ኣብ ሕሰምን መከራን ዘለኻ::
ንናፅነት ተቓሊስካ ናብ ባርነት ምጥሓል ከምዝክኣል ልዕሊ ዝኾነ ይዥኹን ፍጥረት 'ፍትዊ መራሒ' ኢሳያስ ኣፎርቂ ስለዘርአየና ድማ ዮሃና ክብሎ እፈቱ::
ፈጻሚ ታሪኽ ጸንቒቑ ዝብል ጎዶሎ ኣእምሮ፡ ታሪኽ ዝደግም ኣለኹ በሎ።
ፈጻሚ ታሪኽ ጸንቒቓ ዝብል ጎዶሎ ኣእምሮ፡ ኣለኹ በሊ ኣለኺ ዋዕሮ።
When kids say these words, you know the nation is in safe hands.
#EritreaShinesAt35 ❤️🇪🇷
The Struggle for Independence: A Legacy of Resilience
By : - Dr. Tsegai Medin
Every May, Eritrea honors its independence, offering a profound tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause. This historic milestone marks the culmination of over sixty years of struggle against formidable global forces to secure the right to self-determination. The Eritrean independence movement stands as a testament to unbreakable resistance against multifaceted, orchestrated external hostilities. Under determined leadership, Eritrea’s heroes and heroines gave their lives to transform the dream of a sovereign nation into a reality. The unwavering commitment shown by both fighters and the fearless populace serves as a unique historical lesson to oppressors worldwide.
While the struggle was grueling, it was fueled by the vision of a prosperous, rising nation. That dream was realized through massive popular participation on May 24, 1991. Over the past 34 years, Eritreans have celebrated their independence with deep-rooted pride and cultural identity. These celebrations magnify the homegrown values of communalism, resilience, and sacrifice, forged during the long liberation war.
For the Eritrean people, resilience is not merely a reaction to hardship; it is a fundamental cultural pillar. It is a collective identity forged over decades of systemic colonial oppression, external hostilities, and an unwavering commitment to self-reliance. A succession of colonial administrations marks Eritrea’s history, each attempting to reshape the land and its people to serve external interests.
Italian Colonialism (1890–1941): While this period saw infrastructure development, it was built on a foundation of racial segregation and the exploitation of Eritrean labor and resources.
British Administration (1941– 1952): Following WWII, the dismantling of industrial assets and the uncertainty of the post-war settlement created a volatile environment for the Eritrean people.
The Ethiopian Annexation: The forced federation and subsequent unilateral annexation of Eritrea by Ethiopia ignited a thirty-year struggle for independence. Severe hostilities, including the suppression of cultural identity, language, and political rights, characterized this era.
Faced with overwhelming military odds and a lack of significant international support, the Eritrean movement for independence had to innovate to survive. This necessity gave birth to a sophisticated culture of Self-Reliance. During the Thirty Years’ War, resilience was both physical and psychological. The Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) constructed entire hospitals, schools, garages, and factories underground to protect them from aerial bombardment… etc. This ‘hidden state’ proved that the people could provide for their own needs — medical, educational, and industrial — even under the most dire circumstances.
Colonial powers often used ‘divide and rule’ tactics. In response, Eritrean resilience manifested as radical social cohesion. By bridging ethnic, regional, and religious divides, the movement ensured that the struggle was a national endeavor rather than a factional one.
In the post-independence era, the concept of Self-Reliance remains a central tenet of the Eritrean spirit. It is a philosophy that views external dependency as a threat to sovereignty.
Community Labor: The tradition of communal contribution to national projects — whether in soil conservation, dam building, or infrastructure — is a modern expression of nation-building mobilization.
Educational Endurance: The focus on vocational training and domestic capacity building reflects the belief that the nation’s future must be built by its own hands.
Cultural Preservation: Despite decades of foreign influence, Eritreans have maintained a fierce pride in their traditional music, languages, and social customs, using them as a shield against cultural erasure. Resilience is the ability to maintain one’s core identity while adapting to the harshest of environments. For Eritrea, it is the victory of the human spirit over the machinery of oppression.
Ultimately, the Eritrean story is one of persistence against the odds. The hostilities of the past did not break the national character; instead, they tempered it, creating a society that values independence not just as a political status, but as a cultural way of being.
This year, marking the 35th anniversary, Eritrea prepares to celebrate under the theme ‘Our Resilience: Our Guarantee’. Over the next two months, the nation will commemorate both Independence Day and Martyrs Day, reaffirming its ongoing commitment to the legacy of our martyrs and the responsibility of nation-building.
The transition from Independence Day (May 24) to Martyrs’ Day (June 20) symbolizes a triumph of solidarity. These occasions foster a unique sense of togetherness vital to the nation-building process. Eritreans take immense pride in their ethical foundation, asserting that their dignity, fairness, and nationalism distinguish their society.
The thirty-year struggle for independence, followed by thirty-five years of defending self-reliance, has left an indelible mark on society. This history is built upon several key pillars:
1. Total Inclusivity: Every family, ethnic group, and religious denomination participated without discrimination.
2. Mass Participation: Success was driven by the people and a dynamic and selfless leadership.
3. Defiance of Denial: The struggle overcame the international community’s long-standing denial of Eritrea’s right to sovereignty.
4. Social Transformation: The struggle dismantled the colonial era’s religious and ethnic divisions and secured gender equality, marking the first time women held a prominent role in the nation’s political history.
5. Democratic Mandate: The 1993 referendum, in which 99.83% of voters chose independence, solidified the unity of Eritrea’s nine ethno-linguistic groups.
The Eritrean people have forged a harmonious identity, cultivating a homegrown brand of democracy rooted in self-reliance and cooperation. This model of development and peace provides an exemplary record for the region and beyond. However, this path has often been viewed as a threat by external interests. Hostile forces have frequently attempted to undermine Eritrean self-reliance by imposing external political agendas. These ‘imported’ frameworks, often implemented by regional proxies, are seen as attempts to return the populace to a state of dependency. In response, the Eritrean people reaffirm a clear message: ‘If containing Eritrea was difficult yesterday, it is impossible today’. Eritrea’s greatest resource is its people, who have historically defended their identity with ‘sweat and blood.’ Just as they persevered when ‘the stones were burning’ during the war, they continue to challenge modern geopolitical pressures with dignity.
The struggle continues today through the same spirit of vigilance and resilience. The goal remains a better #Eritrea — sustaining the well-being and quality of life for all citizens through unwavering solidarity.
Happy 35th Independence Anniversary and Eternal Glory to our Martyrs!
Press releases
Statement of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on the Occasion of the 35th Independence Anniversary of the State of Eritrea
May 25, 2026
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, extends his congratulations to the Government and people of the State of Eritrea on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the country’s Independence Day.
The AUC Chairperson said that the important occasion reflects the resilience, determination, and aspirations of the Eritrean people for sovereignty, peace, and national development.
The AUC Chairperson reaffirms the African Union’s commitment to working closely with Eritrea in advancing the shared goals of peace, regional stability, integration, and sustainable development across the continent.
On behalf of the African Union Commission, the AUC Chairperson wishes the people of Eritrea continued peace, unity, and prosperity.
#EritreaShinesAt35 #Eritrea
Eritrea@35: A Series Concludes, A National Journey Continues
By Red Sea Beacon
Thirty-five days before Eritrea’s 35th Independence Day anniversary, the “Eritrea@35” series began with a simple but important mission: to reflect, day by day, on the achievements, resilience, and nation-building efforts that have shaped Eritrea since independence. Over the course of 35 days leading up to May 24, the series explored Eritrea’s progress across a wide range of sectors — from education, healthcare, food security, and water conservation to sports, music, infrastructure, environmental sustainability, social development, regional peace initiatives and more.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the many writers, researchers, contributors, editors, and readers who made this series possible. Their thoughtful contributions helped create an important body of work that documents aspects of Eritrea’s development that are rarely given the attention they deserve.
READ MORE — https://t.co/dzjVLqsdjX…
#EritreaAt35 #EritreaShinesAt35 #Eritrea #May24 #AfricanHistory #HornOfAfrica #EastAfrica #Eritrean #AfricanVoices #AfricanDevelopment #SelfReliance #RedSea #DiasporaVoices #IndependenceDay
Congratulations to the people of Eritrea on the 35th Independence Day! 🇪🇷
A proud, very festive celebration of resilience, unity, and national achievement. ✨✨✨Wishing peace, prosperity, and continued progress for the future. #Eritrea#IndependenceDay#35YearsOfIndependence
A must-read article on Eritrean music By Raymok M. Ketema, PhD -- What the Music Kept: How Music Made Eritrea
Music has always been the language through which Eritrean people speak their inner lives — whatever those lives hold. And in the thirty years leading up to that Bologna stage, it did something more than reflect feeling. Music didn’t just document the Eritrean liberation struggle — it helped cause it, centralizing the emotions of a generation of young people and pulling them toward action, while simultaneously archiving history as it unfolded. I wasn’t born yet when most of this happened — but I grew up inside its aftermath, in songs my parents knew every word to without needing to be reminded. Read More:
https://t.co/BLVbmZIdgw
#Eritrea #EritreanMusic #EritreaAt35 #EritreaShinesAt35
Eritrea’s Resilience: A Corollary of Unremitting External Hostility
By Tesfay Aradom, PhD
During the last ten decades, the people of Eritrea have endured immense suffering for asserting their inalienable right to dignity and self-determination. Following an arduous, protracted and definitively successful military and diplomatic struggle, they achieved their long-sought political independence. Currently, having foiled relentless regional and international political and diplomatic intrigues, the Eritrean people and government find themselves in a favorable diplomatic, political, financial and military situation. As a result, they are well poised to consolidate their hard-won achievements and pursue their national reconstruction and social justice programs with more vigor and resolve. It is, therefore, incumbent upon every Eritrean to develop the necessary historical and political insights to sustain the uniquely Eritrean political, social and psychological conditions created and nurtured by the Government of Eritrea.
READ MORE:
https://t.co/rykcepJYXu
#Eritrea #Somalia #Djibouti #SouthSudan #Sudan #Ethiopia #Yemen #SaudiArabia
#EritreaShinesAt35 #EritreaAt35 #EritreaPrevails #Eritrea
The immature Prime Minister Abiy thinks that because the UAE has supplied him with drones, he can defeat Eritreans. The war that is currently taking place should serve as a lesson for him so that he stops behaving like a child. Otherwise, inevitably,Eritrea will shorten his ....
#Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, addressing the House of People’s Representatives of Ethiopia, on 3 February 2026, and in his interview broadcast on ETV on 3rd of March 2026 made a long list of highly defamatory allegations against #Eritrea. The allegations stand in direct contradiction to his own previous statements to the same Parliament.
“The Prime Minister’s attempts to ascribe the cause of the deterioration of relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia to disagreements during the conflict in Northern Ethiopia, and the signing of the Pretoria Agreement, are no more than self-serving claims meant to fit a fabricated narrative.
“Historical facts do not change with political convenience. Ethiopia’s own official records - expressed through press releases, judicial findings, and official statements - demonstrate that Eritrea’s role during the conflict was recognized, defended, and appreciated by the Government of Ethiopia itself.
Any narrative that denies or distorts this record does not merely misrepresent Eritrea; it undermines Ethiopia’s and the Prime Minister’s own credibility.
Above all, the transparent ploy to use discredited talking points in order to prepare the ground for another disastrous war of aggression by Ethiopia on Eritrea must be condemned by all peace-loving people, countries and organizations.”— Adoulis Tewolde
Read more https://t.co/biaENuJ2Vx
by Adoulis Tewolde
#AfricanUnion #HornofAfrica #Eritrea #Ethiopia #Sudan #Somalia #Egypt @hawelti@shabait@EmbassyEritrea@hadnetkeleta@SirakBahlbi@Ghidewon@PMEthiopia@MFAEthiopia@MofaSudan@MOFASomalia@MfaEGYPT@_AfricanUnion@StateDept@AJEnglish@BBCWorld@AFP@TheEconomist@thenation@PressTV@Telegraph@nytimes@UN@dwnews@tesfanews@TheReporterET@gulf_news@RedSeaBeacon@bintekbin@DahlaKib@Yehdavid@GhideonMusa@globalezra@EliasAmare@AlulaFre
Press Release
False Accusations to Serve Ulterior Agendas
(Ministry of Information; Asmara, 9 February 2026)
"The patently false and fabricated accusations against Eritrea issued by Ethiopia's Foreign Minister yesterday is astounding in its tone and substance, underlying motivation, and overarching objective".
https://t.co/pMVH8TNLD8