1949 SPEECH OF H.I.M

LAYING FOUNDATION STONE

HAILE SELASSIE I UNIVERSITY

....In the field of education, InI take great pleasure in the fact that the opening of Ithiopia's first University is near at hand. Henceforth, students who have demonstrated their capacity and ability will no longer leave their homeland to pursue higher education. The University's faculty is being recruited and its physical plant is being established. InI Ourself have presented InI Guennete Leul Palace and its grounds, inherited from InI beloved Father, as a free gift to the nation, to serve as the nucleus of the University's physical facilities, and a formal ceremony for the handling over of the Palace will be held in the near future.....

The population of InI Capital, Addis Ababa, have expressed through their Mayor, their desire to erect a monument to InI honour, that they on their own initiative, have started raising funds, and have requested that InI lay the foundation stone of this memorial today.

It has also been confirmed that the whole people of Ithiopia have joined hands with the people of Addis Ababa in this effort.

As was indicated on the occasion of InI Earthday Anniversary on July 23rd last, InI shall now make known to you InI intentions in reference to this monument.

InI pray first of all to state that InI heart was touched with InI beloved people's desire to erect in InI honour a statue in recognition of services which InI have rendered to them and to InI country. There can be no better way for a people to show their deep gratitude to their Sovereign.

By what means can man's achievements in this world be best remembered? Many people know that this could be done by the erection of physical and material structures; others know that their works are in themselves lasting monuments. InI, for InI part, know that man's contributions which live to influence the life and progress of posterity, are the most permanent monuments that can ever be erected.

It is now 32 years since InI assumed the high service of aiding and guiding the destinies of InI people, counting from InI Regency, when InI were destined to the Imperial Throne of Ithiopia. During this period of InI Reign, a series of problems and trials have had to be faced.

There can be no better testimony to the recognition of InI devotion to the cause of InI country and to the welfare of InI people, entrusted to InI care, from the day when InI were chosen with the Grace of Almighty God the anointed Emperor of Ithiopia, than this expression of noble sentiments from InI beloved and loyal people.

InI have abiding faith that the Almighty, Who has vouchsafed InI the privilege to reach this present stage, will grant to Ithiopia a bright future and an enduring destiny.

Now, when InI people are willing to erect a statue in InI image, InI feel it a duty on InI part to consider what would be the most appropriate means of incorporating in a concrete and lasting manner the sentiments of InI people.

UNIVERSITY: A SYMBOL OF MUTUAL GRATITUDE

Any monument to be left for InI people, to be permanent, must be erected upon spiritual foundations. It is widely known that during InI reign, InI spared no effort to promote and extend education and to cultivate the spirit and mind of InI people.

It is InI sincere wish to intimately connect the statue InI people intend to erect in InI image and in InI honour with a living monument in rememberance of InI people's goodwill, which will go down in history from generation to generation linking together perennially the affection of a people to its Sovereign.

InI beloved people, in contemplating the erection of a monument in InI honour, and InI, on InI part, to express InI satisfaction and recognize this gratitude, have decided that on this same spot, where InI people have resolved to build with the funds voluntarily subscribed a statue to InI, that a University be erected and established for the education of Ithiopia's youth so as to allow them and future generations to benefit from this happy event.

While giving this site for the building and establishment of a University to represent at the same time a monument to your Emperor, for the service and the benefit of your children and the future generations and to stand as a symbol of mutual gratitude between your Sovereign and His people, InI now lay the foundation stone of the University.

The salvation of InI country, Ithiopia, as InI have repeatedly stated to you, lies primarily in education. As Ithiopia is one, all Ithiopians are also one, and education is the only way to maintain this condition.

NOVEMBER 7, 1949

************************************************************