Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — In a powerful gesture symbolizing friendship, solidarity, and the enduring bonds between the peoples of South Sudan and Ethiopia, Hon. Adut Salva Kiir, Senior Presidential Envoy on Special Programs, has planted tree seedlings at the allocated land designated for President Salva Kiir’s Village of Legacy in Addis Ababa.
Her Excellency Adut Salva Kiir, alongside Hon. Ambassador Dr. James Piti Morgan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Sudan, participated in the tree-planting initiative, planting guava tree seedlings as a lasting symbol of hope, peace, cooperation, and shared responsibility for the environment.The tree-planting activity was conducted under Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative, championed by H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, which has emerged as a significant national environmental campaign promoting tree planting, environmental protection, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
Planting Trees, Planting Friendship
The participation of South Sudanese leaders in Ethiopia’s Green Legacy initiative carries a meaning that extends far beyond the planting of trees. Each seedling planted at President Salva Kiir’s Village of Legacy represents a living connection between two neighboring nations whose histories, cultures, and peoples have been linked for generations.
The trees planted today are intended to grow alongside the relationship between South Sudan and Ethiopia—deepening their roots, expanding their branches, and providing future generations with a tangible reminder of the friendship and solidarity shared by the two sisterly nations.
Hon. Adut Salva Kiir and Ambassador Dr. James Piti Morgan expressed their commitment to protecting and caring for the trees planted at the site, ensuring that this contribution becomes a lasting green legacy of friendship and cooperation.
President Salva Kiir’s Village of Legacy
The designated site for President Salva Kiir’s Village of Legacy is envisioned not simply as a physical location, but as a place where the history, sacrifices, culture, traditions, and aspirations of South Sudan can be preserved and shared with future generations.
The vision includes the establishment of a Library and Cultural Heritage Centre dedicated to documenting, preserving, and showcasing the history and cultural heritage of South Sudan, while also highlighting the longstanding historical and people-to-people connections between South Sudan and Ethiopia.
Such a center could become an important platform for education, cultural exchange, historical research, knowledge sharing, and youth engagement. It would also provide an opportunity for visitors, scholars, students, diplomats, researchers, and members of the wider international community to learn about South Sudan’s journey, its rich cultural traditions, and its relationship with Ethiopia.
A Bridge Between Two Sisterly Nations
The Village of Legacy can become more than a monument to history. It can serve as a bridge between generations and between nations. The planting of the guava seedlings provides a particularly meaningful beginning. A tree starts as a small seedling, yet with care, time, and commitment, it becomes strong enough to provide shade, fruit, and shelter. In much the same way, the friendship between South Sudan and Ethiopia requires continuous nurturing, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to a peaceful and prosperous future.
The initiative therefore carries a message that resonates beyond national borders: when nations plant together, they create something that future generations can inherit together.
A Legacy for Future Generations
For Hon. Adut Salva Kiir, the tree-planting ceremony represents a personal and national contribution to a legacy that will outlive the present generation. For Ethiopia, the participation of South Sudanese leaders in the Green Legacy Initiative reflects the inclusive and regional spirit of an environmental campaign whose significance extends beyond Ethiopia’s borders.
And for South Sudan, the Village of Legacy offers an opportunity to preserve the story of a nation and to celebrate the bonds that connect its people with their Ethiopian neighbors.
As these newly planted guava trees grow in the soil of Addis Ababa, they will stand as living witnesses to a moment of cooperation between two sisterly countries.
The trees are not merely planted in the ground; they are planted in history.
- Their roots will symbolize friendship.
- Their branches will symbolize cooperation.
- Their growth will symbolize hope.
And their enduring presence will remind future generations that the strongest legacies are those built together.
The vision of President Salva Kiir’s Village of Legacy is therefore one that looks simultaneously to the past, present, and future—honoring history, strengthening friendship today, and creating a lasting foundation for generations yet to come.
From South Sudan to Ethiopia, a tree has been planted. From friendship to legacy, a new chapter has begun.
