The International National Trusts Organisation (INTO)

Welcome to the Tsegereda Garden

BlogsClimate changeINTO Projects• January 26, 2024

Soft opening of the Tsegereda Garden

A new blog from the ‘Withstanding Change’ project. Hear from Esther Antonin about Heritage Watch Ethiopia’s garden restoration.

On December 4th, 2023, the Tsegereda Garden, a testament to Addis Ababa University’s rich heritage and vibrant spirit, held its soft opening.

The event began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a symbolic act that marked that Heritage Watch Association of Ethiopia had reached a tangible milestone in this project.

two women cutting a blue and yellow ribbon at an opening ceremony

The Withstanding Change project

In 2022, INTO was awarded £1.6 million in funding from the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund, to undertake a programme of climate related activity in partnership with organisations across the Middle East and Africa. Supported by the INTO project team, our international partners will restore six historic sites that are threatened by climate change.

Withstanding Change

Garden tour

Friends, supporters, and representatives from government and civil society organisations, were among the first to experience the garden.

Dr. Hailu Elias, Dean of the School of Business and Economics, delivered a welcoming speech which was followed by a tour of the garden, highlighting it’s thematic features. We were delighted to showcase drought resistant tuber plants, which are interspersed with Ethiopian signature plants like Coffee and Inset (False Banana tree).

Gardening for climate

The garden, designed to withstand both drought and severe flooding, reflects Ethiopian urban horticulture and offers a stunning space, now used by the university students as a recreational area.

a blue sign with text which read drought tolerant plants

National Trust climate adaptation guidance

National Trust experts, in partnership with heritage organisations and INTO's 'Withstanding Change' project, are developing a range of guidance to help heritage sites become more resilient to climate change, and support teams to take decisions in the face of climate hazards.

Learn more here

Beginning to bloom

The garden is not just a place to relax and be with friends, but serves as a bridge between history, culture, and the future of the Business and Economics campus, it’s young people.

This living cultural and natural heritage repurposes an almost-forgotten historical garden, into a multi-functional new green space for the college community, as well as to help boost city-wide tourism.

Education programmes

The garden will facilitate educational programs and community events run by Heritage Watch, focused on climate related stories and gardening. Together these promise to make the garden a vibrant hub for learning, exchange, and celebration.

The Tsegereda Garden has only just begun to bloom, but with roots deep in the past and a promise to embrace the future, it will be a cherished landmark for future generations. A testament to the enduring spirit of both Addis Ababa and the University.