Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, has been invested as a Dame Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Star of Honour of Ethiopia.
The investiture was made by the Crown Council of Ethiopia at the Command of His Imperial Highness, Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie, on March 4, at the Army Navy Club Hotel in Washington DC.
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The Grand Cross is the highest of the five levels of the Order in the Ethiopian Solomonic Awards.
The Order of the Star of Honour of Ethiopia was founded by Emperor Menelik II in 1884-85, in his capacity as Negus of Shewa and before he became Emperor of Ethiopia (in 1889).
It is one of the older awards in the Imperial pantheon, and it is currently awarded as a house order by the Crown Council of Ethiopia.
The Order was established to honor foreign and domestic civilian and military officials and individuals for service to the country and is considered the fifth-ranking order of the Empire of Ethiopia, alongside the Order of Menelik II.
In his remarks, Prince Ermias said Minister Grange was conferred with the award in recognition of the outstanding work she has done in Jamaica, strengthening the relationship between both countries.
He said she is now entitled to be referred to as Her Excellency, Olivia Grange, with the post-nominal letters of the Star of Honour of Ethiopia award – GCSE.
Ms. Grange was also recognized for being instrumental in bringing Prince Ermias to Jamaica and for her efforts to build cultural and diplomatic bridges between Jamaica and the Ethiopian people.
In her response, the Minister said she has “always dreamt of the day when I’ll feel a part of the continent of Africa, in addition to recognizing that my ancestors were predominantly African”.
“The fact that I have been recognized by a nation in Africa, and particularly The Crown Council of Ethiopia, is something that has made me so overjoyed and overwhelmed, that I am pent up with emotion,” Ms. Grange stated.
She noted that she grew up hearing about Ethiopia because of the Rastafari movement in Jamaica, as Haile Selassie has been a symbol of the movement.
“For me to be recognized by the Crown Council and to be bestowed with the title of the Dame of the Grand Cross by His Imperial Majesty’s grandson, Prince Ermias is something I have never dreamt would happen. But that is now a reality, and so, I am humbled, I am honored, and I am a little overwhelmed,” Ms. Grange said.
“I accept this award on behalf of the Rastafari movement in Jamaica because they are the ones who constantly said His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie is the symbol of black royalty. For me, it’s very important that I recognize that this honor that has been bestowed on me, today, is one that I’ll have to ensure that I carry that message of ‘One Love’ in recognition that as a black race, we are equally important as any other race, and that we have a great history,” she added.
At the event, author, journalist, and cultural historian Barbara Blake Hanna were also honored for facilitating the recent formal visit to Jamaica of Prince Ermias and Princess Desta Saba and for her continued promotion of Ethiopia and Rastafari culture and history.
On March 3, Ms. Grange paid a courtesy call to Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Audrey Marks, at the Jamaican Embassy in Washington DC.
Later that evening Ambassador Marks hosted a dinner in honor of Prince Ermias and Minister Grange.
The Victory of Adwa and the Victory of Gondar are two great military victories of Ethiopia under Emperors Menelik II and Haile Selassie I respectively, that marked turning points for Ethiopia, Africa, and the world.
