Ethiopia’s Oromo celebrate Irreecha festival and call for peace

The Irreecha festival is the vibrant annual thanksgiving celebration of Ethiopia's Oromo people, marking the end of the rainy season and the arrival of the bright spring season. Millions gathered at sacred sites in Bishoftu to offer thanks to God for peace, health, and a bountiful harvest.

Government officials, community leaders, and elders used the platform to advocate for unity across Ethiopia's diverse ethnic groups. Participants dipped fresh green grass and flowers into water and sprinkled them as blessings for the land, cattle, and people, symbolizing fertility, renewal, and hope for the country's future prosperity.