Amanuel Abate Celebration of Life
Over 150 friends, family and colleagues of Amanuel got together on the weekend of 25 - 26 June for a celebration of life. We heard laughter, we saw tears and most of all we felt the energy of a community. A community that flew from the four corners of the globe to reunite at Ecolint a special place for many of them and especially for Amanuel.
The weekend kicked-off on Friday night with a lovely Geneva summer evening reuniting in the Place Bourg-du-Four in the Vielle Ville. Saturday afternoon, the group came together in the Greek Theatre for several hours telling stories of his life as a child, a student, a sportsman, a father, a husband and a professional. There were many incredibly special moments throughout the ceremony: from beautiful butterflies released by his daughters to very specific dance attitude on the dancefloor. Guests were invited to show lots of confidence, puff out their chests and go down, down, down to the flow of the music. The event closed with the beautiful taste of spicy Injera from Amanuel’s fatherland, Ethiopia.
Saturday continued with an Irish wake featuring food, drink, a fire pit, and a dance party. On Sunday, members of the group visited Amanuel’s resting place. From there, we decamped to a local school to play games. In the best possible tribute to Amanuel, a diverse group of very young players challenged us to a match. We played in Amanuel’s spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship. Following the match, our group concluded the weekend with a cold plunge and barbeque at a lakeside beach. We parted with a good feeling of community spirit including many hugs and thankfulness for the time to be together and commemorate the beloved Amanuel Abate.
As a result of this weekend, Amanuel’s friends and family have organized a memorial fund at Ecolint. We will celebrate Amanuel’s legacy as a sportsman and a community-builder. Please join us by responding to the invitation at https://supporting.ecolint.ch/amanuel-abate-memorial-fund. The memorial weekend and memorial fund are due to the efforts of a large number of Amanuel’s friends around the world. The group organized itself via the usual tools of online collaboration, including regular Zoom calls, and with substantial participation from the Ecolint Alumni Association. We want Amanuel’s family to know we will always be here for them. His daughters should know that, in addition to their actual family relations, they have many Aunts and Uncles from the Ecolint family who will support them on their life journeys.
We conclude with a group photo taken just prior to the Celebration of Life at the Greek Theatre. In Amanuel’s honor, most in attendance wore football jerseys, making for a colorful and vivid array and capturing the spirit and energy of the occasion.
