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Mel Tewahade (center) working on his new documentary “Point
Four” about Haramaya University - formerly Alemaya College
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New York (TADIAS) – A new documentary entitled Point Four
highlights the history of Haramaya University, an agricultural technical campus
in Ethiopia established in 1956 in collaboration with the U.S. government and
with assistance from Oklahoma State University. Formerly known as Alemaya
College, the institution was officially inaugurated by Emperor Haile Selassie
on January 16, 1958.
The film borrows its name from President Harry Truman’s 1949
inaugural address in which he announced a technical assistance program for
developing countries that later became known as “The Point Four Program.” It
was so named because it was the fourth foreign policy objective outlined in the
speech. The Point Four program resulted in America’s close partnership with
Ethiopia in helping to establish some of the country’s technical
higher-education institutions.
“The documentary is about a US foreign policy that was successfully
implemented in Ethiopia,” said Mel Tewahade, the film’s Denver-based producer.
He noted: “The Alemaya College was established with the help of Oklahoma State
University. Oklahoma State provided the expertise and Ethiopia provided the
funds.”
The film is narrated by the director and features interviews
with Americans who were involved with the program in Ethiopia as well as
Ethiopian graduates from the school. “My inspiration to make the movie is to
honor all the great [people] including my own father who worked hard to
establish this agricultural college,” Mr. Tewahade said. “As a kid I traveled
to Alemaya from our house in Harar and I have a pleasant memory of the place.”
You can learn more about the film at
www.pointfourethiopia.com.
Watch the trailer:
http://www.tadias.com
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