Irreecha Hora Finfinne Festival Opens in Addis Ababa with Vibrant Celebrations

Addis Ababa, October 4, 2025 (FMC) – The Irreecha Hora Finfinne festival began today in Addis Ababa under the theme “Irreecha for National Leap up,” bringing the city alive with color, music, and cultural pride.

Thousands of Oromos from across the region and residents of the capital gathered along the riverside, including Abbaa Gadaas, Abbaa Melkas, Aba Mudas, Hadha Sinqees, youth, and other community members. The atmosphere was lively, filled with rhythmic songs, traditional dances, and the vibrant costumes of the Oromo people.

Irreecha, the Oromo people’s thanksgiving festival, is celebrated at the end of the rainy season. It is a time when communities express gratitude to the Creator for past blessings and pray for peace, prosperity, and a bright future. Water holds a central role in the festival, symbolizing purity, the foundation of life, and creation.

Participants actively engaged in cultural rituals, reflecting the rich heritage of the Oromo community while drawing people from different parts of Ethiopia to witness and partake in the celebrations.

The celebrations come a day after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) sent his greetings on the occasion of Irreecha, emphasizing the festival’s core values of gratitude, peace, and unity. In his message, the Prime Minister highlighted Ethiopia’s recent achievement of inaugurating the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and noted the country’s ongoing efforts to secure direct access to a seaport as a step toward national prosperity. He also commended the Oromo people for preserving their cultural heritage while contributing to the nation’s broader development.