STORY: Chinese scholarship empowers Ethiopian students dream
DATELINE: Aug. 29, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:08
LOCATION: Addis Ababa
CATEGORY: EDUCATION

SHOTLIST:
1. Various of the event
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SILESHI KEBEDE, Student
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): IDOSSA TERFASSA, Scholarships and Internationalization Head at the Ethiopian Ministry of Education
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ZHAO ZHIYUAN, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia

STORYLINE:

Sileshi Kebede, who was awarded the Chinese government scholarship for the 2023-2024 school year, believes he is one step closer to his dream of contributing to his country's socioeconomic development.

After a farewell party organized by the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia for Ethiopian students receiving Chinese government scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year on Thursday, Kebede and other 25 students are now embarking on a new study journey in China.

Kebede emphasized that after going to China, he would spare no effort to further his studies while experiencing the development and changes of China and the process of Chinese modernization.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SILESHI KEBEDE, Student
"The Chinese government gives us these scholarships for Ethiopian students every year. This scholarship (opportunity) is also one of the fruits of the nice friendship (between the two countries)."

In recent years, many Ethiopian students have been applying for a Chinese scholarship.

Idossa Terfassa, Scholarships and Internationalization Head at the Ethiopian Ministry of Education, addressing the farewell event, spoke highly of Chinese scholarships' contribution towards human capacity development in Ethiopia.

Noting that Ethiopians account for the largest Chinese scholarship recipients, Terfassa called on Ethiopian students to learn from China's socioeconomic development and apply it in the Ethiopian context.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): IDOSSA TERFASSA, Scholarships and Internationalization Head at the Ethiopian Ministry of Education
"In parallel to working hard and achieving your academic goals, I have full confidence that you will play the lion's share in strengthening the bilateral relations of the two great nations."

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Zhao Zhiyuan, on his part, expressed his hope that Ethiopian students in China could adapt to the living environment in China as soon as possible, study hard, make friends, have a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of China, and become the successors of China-Ethiopia friendship.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ZHAO ZHIYUAN, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia
"China and Ethiopia have developed a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and education cooperation is one of the most important cooperation fields, playing an important role in our bilateral cooperation."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Addis Ababa.
(XHTV)