5 May 2026 / 27 ሚያዝያ 2018
I feel very honoured to extend my warmest and most respectful good wishes to you on this occasion during which you are celebrating the Ethiopian Victory over Fascism, as well as the legacy of the Right Honorable Dr. Melaku Bayen.
The Victory over Fascism was achieved at great cost in blood, tears and sacrifices of every kind. The five years of Italian Occupation were a great tribulation for the people of Ethiopia and for the Imperial family, and most of the powers of the world chose to look away for those five years until the war came to them. Yet just as my grandfather Emperor Haile Selassie stated in a statement from the gardens of his palace after he had returned to his capital in triumph, “Even in the 20th century, with faith, courage, and a just cause, David will still beat Goliath.” Ethiopia achieved victory over evil thanks to the grace of her creator and for this we are eternally grateful.
Yet achieving this victory was a long and difficult road, and among the indispensable factors that kept the Ethiopian cause alive was the efforts of the Ethiopian World Federation led by Dr. Melaku Bayen. Dr. Melaku Bayen, a kinsman to the Ethiopian Imperial family, was tasked with mobilizing support for the Ethiopian cause. He worked tirelessly to inform our friends in the United States about the plight of Ethiopia under Fascist occupation. Sadly Dr. Melaku did not see the results of his efforts as he passed away on May 4th, 1940. However, exactly one year and one day after his death, and on the exact 5th anniversary of the day the Italians had occupied the city, my grandfather Emperor Haile Selassie re-entered Addis Ababa in triumph and hung the Imperial flag over the Menelik Palace, marking May 5th as Victory Day which we continue to celebrate. This celebration honours the sacrifice of Dr. Melaku who died so young, leaving behind a young widow and son, but who fought for his motherland up to his last breath.
Today, as we remember the sacrifice of the Patriots who fought the occupation, and the Exiles who struggled to keep the fight for freedom nourished with influence, funds as well as prayers, we give thanks to Almighty God for the Victory achieved, and for the life of Dr. Melaku Bayen, a true son of Ethiopia and a true citizen of the world. May God bless Ethiopia and all who love her and may the soul of Melaku Bayen rest among the blessed.
Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia
