ADDIS ABABA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China Jiangsu International Economic and Technical Cooperation Group on Wednesday started construction of anti-colonial struggle memorial center in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, according to the Addis Ababa city administration.
In a press statement, the Addis Ababa city administration said the firm is expected to complete the construction of the memorial center in a two-year period.
The statement said the center is dedicated to commemorating Ethiopians' victory over colonial Italy soldiers on March 1, 1896. It will house a variety of leisure facilities including a museum, a 2000-seater conference hall, cinema hall, library, gymnasium, a 600-car capacity parking space, green areas and cafeterias.
On March 1, 1896, Ethiopian forces defeated forces of Colonial Italy in Adwa, northern Ethiopia, ensuring Ethiopia remained one of the few African countries not to be colonized in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.
The battle of Adwa, which is also referred to as the first Ethiopia-Italian war, marks the first black victory against a colonizer force in the African continent.
The war is believed to have initiated other freedom fighters in the African continent to struggle towards independence.
