The calendar of this east African nation has just turned 2001 and Ethiopia has completed its millennium celebrations that kicked off 11 September 2007 of the international calendar. Preservation and promotion of national heritage, tree planting and other environment protection projects across the country were part of the celebrations that the daily said this week had created a momentum for change.

But what change does The Herald envisage in Ethiopia, a country where, it said in its editorial columns this week, that springs were drying up and grazing for animals was scarce because of the recurrent droughts?

"A change from a society that struggles to get from one day to the next to a society of middle-income nations," the paper explained, adding that by themselves, the millennium celebrations were aimed at stimulating a rebirth of the Ethiopian nation.

Rebirth of this nation is about people being able to shape their own lives and free themselves from the shackles of poverty and achieving that goal, according to the daily, would require the people to work together and every scrap of resource that could be spared for that purpose.

Turning to the Ethiopian New year, The Herald said that Ethiopians had high hopes and expectations in the celebration of every New Year as it started with the re-opening of schools and institutions of higher learning after their annual vacation period.

This time the paper underlined maintenance of national unity, peace and tolerance among different ethnic communities as essential values to bring about the country’s prosperity.

"National progress and development are unimaginable in the absence of peace and stability," it said, adding that there was a need to resolve all outstanding problems that dogged the Ethiopian society in general in order to promote the spirit of tolerance and forgiveness among the country’s nationalities and peoples.

In another story, The Ethiopian Herald focused on the country’s efforts to provide quality education to the young generation.

"It is when citizens have acquired the proper knowledge and skills that they can actively participate and contribute to nation building endeavours," said the paper, noting that popular participation in the expansion of education in Ethiopia had led to encouraging results.

The daily admitted that provision of quality education was still a challenge not only to the government but also to the Ethiopian society in general. Panapress.