Yonatan Aklilu (Amharic: ዮናታን አክሊሉ; born 15 June 1979) is an Ethiopian Pentecostal pastor. He is known for his project called Melkam Wetat/Excellent Youth. On 6 September 2020, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed offered Yonatan an award of 25,000 euros for his contribution to the youth of Ethiopia through the Hessian Peace Prize in 2019.[1][2][3][4]
Yonatan Aklilu | |
|---|---|
ዮናታን አክሊሉ | |
 | |
| Born | 15 June 1979 |
| Alma mater | Arba Minch University |
| Occupation | Pentecostal pastor |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Organization | Melkam Wetat |
| Television | Marcil (Addis Kidan Kahinat) |
Background edit
Yonatan Alkilu was born in Kebri Mangest in the present-day Oromia Region, Ethiopia, and raised in Negele Arsi, Ethiopia.[3] He completed his primary and secondary school in Negele Arsi. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Finance from Arba Minch University. He had served as a teacher at the Adventist College, Kuyera Africa Beza and the Rift Valley University College. He became a gospel teacher and launched a religious TV channel called Marcil after founding a church named Addis Kidan Kahinat.[3][5]
In 2017, Yonatan launched a project called Melkam Wetat (Excellent Youth), which is focused on the youth of Ethiopia regardless of their religious background.[6] More than 100,000 students graduated from this project. Melkam Wetat's head office is now in Hawassa, Ethiopia.[7]
On 21 December 2020, on behalf of Melkam Wetat, Yonatan donated 10 million Ethiopian birr for a school feeding project that was launched by the Addis Ababa city administrator.[8]
In late 2022, Yonatan was accused by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church of "hate speech" for insulting the theology of the Church and view of Virgin Mary and saints. The Church then summoned six leaders in the Inter-Religious Council from Islamic Affairs. According to Abune Abraham, head of the patriarchate office, the church would not continue to foster in the council as anti-Orthodox sentiment grew in the country.[9]
References edit
- ^ admin (7 September 2019). "ጠ/ሚ ዐቢይ በ2019 የሔስያን የሰላም ሽልማት ያገኙትን 25 ሺህ ዩሮ ለመልካም ወጣት ማዕከል ግንባታ አበረከቱ -" (in Amharic). Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "Hessian Peace Prize award of €25k to the Melkam Wetat initiative". Twitter. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ a b c ""ፈረንጆቹ የናቁትና የጣሉትን የብሄርተኝነት ሃሳብ ነው እኛ እንደ ስልጣኔ የምናራግበው" አገልጋይ ዮናታን አክሊሉ". Ethiopian Press Agency. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ^ "አገልጋይ ዮናታን አክሊሉ የከተማ አስተዳደሩ ለጀመረው የተማሪዎች የምገባ ፕሮግራም የ10 ሚሊየን ብር ድጋፍ አደረጉ". Welcome to Fana Broadcasting Corporate S.C. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ^ ከመልካም ወጣት ፕሮጀክት መሪ ዮናታን አክሊሉ ጋር የተደረገ ቃለ ምልልስ (ክፍል ሁለት) (in Amharic), retrieved 4 December 2020
- ^ Says, Alex. "ስለ ""መልካም ወጣት"" ልናውቃቸው የሚገቡ እውነታዎች!". Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ^ ዘሪሁን, ሰብለ. "አገልጋይ ዮናታን አክሊሉ የደረሰበት ጥቃት". Abbay Media. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ^ "አገልጋይ ዮናታን አክሊሉ የከተማ አስተዳደሩ ለጀመረው የተማሪዎች የምገባ ፕሮግራም የ10 ሚሊየን ብር ድጋፍ አደረጉ". Welcome to Fana Broadcasting Corporate S.C. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ^ Account (6 January 2023). "Ethiopian church gets apology from other faith groups". Borkena Ethiopian News. Retrieved 2 February 2023.