President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia
Founder & President of Selassie Stand Up, Inc.
On November 11, 2024, Lij Nebyat Aklilu Demessie, Public Relations Officer and Advisor to the Crown Council of Ethiopia, participated in an international prayer day for global peace on behalf of HIH Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile Selassie. The event was organized by the “Light Must Unite,” a global peace effort founded by entrepreneur and visionary philanthropist Michael King Jr. and public relations, special events, branding and marketing guru Cygalle Dias, alongside the Light Must Unite Initiative co-founders Makonnen Hanna and Barbara Blake-Hannah of Jamaica. The panel was co-moderated by fashion icon, Joseph DeAcetis as well as music producer and entrepreneur, Makonnen Hanna with closing remarks made by founders Michael King Jr. and Cygalle Dias.
The mission of the “Light Must Unite” is to unite communities worldwide in the fight against violence, to foster peace, and to encourage positive societal transformation. During the Crown Council of Ethiopia’s official state visit to Jamaica in 2022, both Makonnen and Barbara Blake-Hannah accompanied Prince Ermias, Princess Saba Kebede, and advisors to the Crown Council.
The international prayer day event commenced with video tributes from historical figures including the late Emperor Haile Selassie, President John F. Kennedy, and American hotelier and humanitarian Conrad Hilton. The event featured a distinguished panel of speakers from diverse fields such as business, the arts, and philanthropy, including Matthew W. Rockefeller, J. Bradley Hilton, Chaka Khan, Young Wylin, Marla Maples, Jimmy Levy, Khalilah Camacho Ali, Xana Romeo, Ana Carla Sinclair, Sheila Chamberlain and other notable figures. The discussions centered around the power of prayer, meditation, peace, and unity.
Prince Ermias, who was unable to attend in person, submitted a written speech that was delivered by Lij Nebyat. Prince Ermias’ speech opened with a powerful quote from Emperor Haile Selassie on the importance of peace and the ongoing effort required to achieve it. Prince Ermias emphasized the universal need for peace and collective security, particularly in light of the global challenges facing humanity.
As a panelist in his own right, Lij Nebyat also spoke about the work of Selassie Stand Up, Inc., an organization he founded to promote the legacy of Emperor Haile Selassie. He highlighted the organization’s advocacy for the creation of a statue of the Emperor in the African Union Headquarters as a constant reminder of the Emperor’s commitment to peace, unity, and collective security. Lij Nebyat was also successful in getting approval from the Government of Jamaica to build a statue of HIM Emperor Haile Selassie during the Crown Council of Ethiopia’s official State Visit to Jamaica in 2022.
Please see HIH Prince Ermias’ written speech below:
Greetings Distinguished Guests, Conference Participants, Ladies & Gentlemen:
In the words of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie: “Peace is a day-to-day problem; it is the product of a multitude of events and judgments. Peace is not an ‘is,’ it is a ‘becoming.’” This means that achieving peace is an ongoing process that requires constant effort and attention to detail, rather than a single moment or state that can be simply attained and then easily sustained; it’s about actively working towards peace every day, making choices that contribute to it, and recognizing that peace is always evolving and needs to be continuously cultivated.
Peace requires a just cause, dedication, determination, commitment and resolve. It is a product of a multitude of events and judgments because peace is impacted by each and every one of us as well as the decisions we make individually and collectively. Peace is a process and a journey that starts within each and every one of us. Peace is dependent on how we chose to act and also interact with others.
During such troubling times, the universal necessity of peace cannot be overemphasized. We, therefore, must continue to strive in our efforts to achieve the ideals of humanity, global peace, collective security and unity.
As President, and on behalf of the Crown Council of Ethiopia, We thank the organizers of the Light Must Unite for this opportunity, international day of prayer for peace and the global call for unity. We implore each and every person to do his or her part in prayer, meditation and action to achieve ideals of humanity, global peace and unity.
Thank you so very much for this opportunity and organizing this very important meeting. Together, in prayer, unity and collective action we can achieve.
May God Bless you all!
