Adwa Victory Day in Ethiopia
March 2 · Level 10 · #38 of 2238
Ethiopia commemorates the victory of Emperor Menelik II’s army over Italian forces in 1896. The Battle of Adwa helped preserve the country’s independence and became a powerful example of resistance to colonial conquest across Africa and beyond.
How it is celebrated: commemorative gatherings include wreath-laying at monuments, public ceremonies and cultural events. Ethiopian communities abroad also come together to remember the victory and the people who made it possible.
Italy subsequently signed a peace treaty recognizing Ethiopia’s independence. A battlefield defeat had forced a European colonial power to abandon its immediate ambitions.