World Expos have been taking place since 1851, in cities all across the globe for anywhere from three to six months at a time. Over the years they have had a profound effect on everything from architecture, to the arts, technology and more. 2020 was supposed to be the year Dubai in the United Arab Emirates shone on the world stage as host of the event, but due to COVID-19 it was delayed, and will now take place from October 1st 2021 to March 31st 2022. It’s the first time the event was ever postponed rather than cancelled, and it’s promising to be the largest event ever to have taken place in the UAE. It’s also the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region.

Expo 2020 takes place on a 438-hectare area (1083 acres) of land located between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Currently 192 countries are taking part, each following the theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” and three sub-themes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability. Each country will get their own pavilion, with many of them focusing on one particular sub-theme. Africa is well represented at the event, with 20 countries participating, and on top of that there is also an African Union Pavilion.

Ethiopia invites you to explore the oldest independent country in Africa, as they showcase the origin of opportunity, their history, their landscape and their people. Kenya wants to spark your curiosity by showing you their technological innovations, while giving you a chance to meet the 44 tribes of their nation. Morocco seeks to inspire you, by showing you how they are committed to a sustainable future, while giving you one of the best views of the Expo. And Egypt takes you on a high-end digital journey with a virtual tour guide, and gives you a chance to travel through time with a unique 3D experience. The African Union Pavilion takes you on a journey through the past, present and future of the continent, while showing you the Africa We Want. They will show you key areas of interest and priority for the African Union, including the Grand Inga Dam project, the Africa Outer Space Strategy and the African Economic Platform.

If you are wondering how you can get there, you can fly on the new Expo 2020 Dubai A380 airplane from Emirates. Emirates is not only a sponsor of the event, but the official airline as well. The colourful aircraft features the Expo 2020 Dubai logo as well as their motto, “Be Part of the Magic.”

With travel re-opening, Expo 2020 is an event you won’t want to miss. For more information on how to get tickets to this once in a lifetime experience, or to find out how we can help you book tour packages including flights and hotels, contact Freweini today at fg@canacreativetravel.com or 416-249-0972 / 647-457-0972.

            In 2019 4.55 million tourists visited Israel, shattering the previous record. The travel industry was expecting the same for 2020, but the pandemic put a stop to that. For the first few months of 2021 international travel is still not what it used to be, but that is about to change. Thanks to the country’s high vaccination rate, Israel has been relaxing their rules and regulations, and business is about to pick up.

            As of July 1^st, Israel will be open to tourists, as long as the tourists meet certain criteria. While the criteria has yet to be officially confirmed, they are expected to be as follows:

• Tourists who are fully vaccinated with Pfizer, Moderna, Astra Zeneca or Johnson and Johnson will be able to enter Israel with a negative PCR corona test taken before the flight, a vaccination certificate, and a PCR test on arrival to Ben Gurion Airport.
• Tourists who are fully vaccinated with vaccines not approved by the USA or European Union will be able to enter Israel with a negative PCR corona test taken before the flight, a vaccination certificate, and a rapid serology test (finger prick) on arrival to Ben Gurion Airport.
• Tourists from high risk countries with a high rate of Covid-19 infections will not be permitted to enter the country under any circumstances. The Government of Israel Ministry of Health lists the countries on their website.
• As of this moment it hasn’t been decided if unvaccinated tourists or tourists who have recovered from Covid-19 will be permitted entry.

Any of this information is of course subject to change at any time and quickly if needed.

            You might be asking yourself, what does this all mean? It means that it’s finally time to start planning for the future. It’s time to book your flights and hotels, and get ready to enjoy travel once more. It’s time to dust off your cameras and prepare yourself to make more memories that will last a lifetime. The wait is almost over, and it’s time to visit Israel again.

            Start planning for your Easter 2022 Pilgrimage in sunny and beautiful Israel today. E-Mail me at fg@canacreativetravel.com or call 416-249-0972 / 647-457-0972.

Freweini Belai Ghile

With all the uncertainty when it comes to travel over the last year, the WTCC created the Safe Travels Stamp in May 2020 to help travelers recognize destinations and businesses around the world that have adopted the global standardized health and hygiene protocols. This stamp is recognized worldwide, and has helped restart the travel and tourism industry that has been left crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ethiopia is the latest country to receive the stamp.

Ethiopia’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism started taking major steps last year to earn the stamp. These steps will ensure the safety of not only travelers, but for residents, workers and businesses in the tourism sector.

The Safe Travels protocols help travelers get consistency and guidance in countries that have received the stamp. They include items pertaining to health, hygiene, deep cleansing and physical distancing. The protocols take into consideration the guidelines issues by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) also recognizes the stamp as a positive step forward.

Ethiopia is joined by 200 other popular holiday destinations around the world, including Kenya, South Africa, Portugal and Argentina. The stamp can be seen in eligible businesses such as hotels, restaurants, airlines, tour operators, restaurants, outdoor shopping, transportation, and airports, where the required health and hygiene protocols have been implemented.

It would be hard to mention Jerusalem to anyone and not have them know what you are talking about. It is after all one of the oldest cities in the world. Located in the Middle East, Jerusalem rests on a plateau in the Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean and Dead Sea. It’s not just the age of the city that makes it memorable however. It is also considered to be the most important city in the world for those of the Christian faith.

The reason why Jerusalem is so important to Christians is simple. Cana Creative Travel and Tours’ owner Freweini Belai Ghile put it best. “Jerusalem is the place where Jesus Christ died and was raised from the dead on the third day,” she said. “Resurrection in Christianity is the central and basic event, the core of Christian belief without which Christianity doesn’t exist and religion loses its essence. Therefore, through the Resurrection, Jerusalem became the core of the Christian faith and religion. Indeed, it is the birthplace of Christianity and out of it Christianity was spread to the whole world by the Apostles and disciples.”

It’s because of that that millions of people travel to Jerusalem each year. Pilgrims come to see the places where Jesus preached, died and was resurrected. While the mazes of narrow alleyways, classic architecture, historical sites such as the Tower of David and the stone wall that surrounds the city are attractions in themselves, Christians come to see other sites that bear religious significance to them. Places such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre contains two of the holiest sites in Christianity. Golgotha, the site where Jesus was crucified, and his empty tomb where he was buried and resurrected. The church was constructed in the 4th century, and within it are the last four Stations of the Cross on the Way of Sorrow (also known as Via Dolorosa) which represent the final episodes of the Passion of Jesus. The church is one of the main destinations for pilgrims going to Jerusalem. 

Walking along the Via Dolorosa through all 14 Stations of the Cross is also a highlight of a visit to Jerusalem. Many Christians like to follow in the footsteps of Jesus by taking the route he walked as he bore the cross on his shoulders towards his execution. Many choose to walk the route independently, but on Fridays they can follow behind Italian Franciscan monks. The route itself is marked, based on the Gospels’ and tradition. As you walk from the Muslim Quarter in the Old City on Via Dolorosa Street to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, you will pass by plenty of beautiful buildings, including the Chapel of the Flagellation which is where Jesus was believed to have been flogged.

The Christian Quarter of the Old City is centered around the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There are plenty of other churches to explore in the area though. There is the Protestant Christ Church, the Ethiopian Monastery which contains interesting murals depicting the Queen of Sheba’s Jerusalem visit, the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer (where many climb the bell tower to get an incredible view of the Old City) and the Church of St. John the Baptist (which is the oldest church in the city.)

Those who climb the ascent to the Mount of Olives are rewarded with an amazing panoramic view of the city. It’s just not the views that attract them however. They also come to visit the many churches and the oldest continually used cemetery in the world. Christians also believe that the sacred hill is where God will begin raising the dead on Judgement Day. This is because it is believed to be the spot where Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection. Pilgrims can also find the Tomb of the Virgin Mary on the hill.

The Monastery of the Cross attracts many pilgrims as well. This is because it is believed to be located on the site where the Prophet Lot lived. He planted many trees in the area, one of which is said to have provided wood for the cross that Jesus was crucified on.

“Visiting, touching, and feeling the place where Christ had been tortured, crossed, died and buried and on the third day raised to sky, made them to be spirituality elevated and hence their belief,” Freweini said about why Christians want to visit Jerusalem. There’s no better time to start planning a trip to the Holy Land. Celebrating Easter there is perhaps one the most spiritual things any Christian can do.

From the pyramids, to the Nile and the Valley of the Kings, Egypt has plenty of attractions for tourists. Perhaps though, the most famous are the mummies.

Mummies are the preserved bodies of animals and humans. Mummification was an integral part of the rituals for the dead in ancient Egypt. It was viewed as one of the steps for helping a person live well in the afterlife. In many cases it became a status symbol for the wealthy.

Recently, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that 100 wooden coffins had been discovered inside burial shafts inside Saqqara, a necropolis south of Cairo. Some of these coffins have well preserved mummies inside. 40 gold-plated statues of the deity Ptah Soker, 20 wooden boxes of the god Horus and two statues of Phnomus were also discovered. The find dates back to the Late Period from 664 to 332 BC.

Saqqara is part of the necropolis of Egypt’s ancient capital of Memphis. The pyramids of Giza are part of the area, as well as some other smaller pyramids. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in the 1970s, Saqqara continues to reveal new treasures, and it is expected that new announcements are forthcoming.

Some of the recently discovered artifacts will be on display as the Egyptian museum in Tahir. They will be given as a gift for the museum’s 118th anniversary. At least three other Cairo museums will have some of the items on display as well, including the Grand Egyptian Museum that is being built near the Giza Pyramids.

Cana Creative Travel and Tours can help you explore classic Egypt and take a Nile Cruise. Contact us today at fg@canacreativetravel.com or 416-249-0972 to find out how we can help you plan for your vacation.

Last month, during World Rhino Day, African Parks announced the black rhino population is showing signs of growth. The critically endangered species saw its numbers dwindled down to around 5,500 in the wild before Malawi stepped in to help. The African country started a new initiative in November 2019 to try and boost the rhino populations in Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve, and after only a year it appears to be working.

The two parks relocated 17 rhinos from South Africa, even exchanging them between locations to improve genetic diversity. The rhinos have acclimatised well, and four new calves (two in each park) have been reported. There is hope that the numbers will continue to rise and help stave off the elimination of the species. The rhinos are being kept safe from hunters and poachers through aerial surveillance, ranger patrols and real time tracking of the animals.

In a released statement African Parks’ Malawi Representative Samuel Kamoto said, “Thanks to the foresight of the Malawian Government, significant strides have been made to transform its profoundly important parks into top nature destinations that have become sanctuaries for species like the rhino and assets for local communities. The growth of rhino numbers in both Majete and Liwonde is extremely hopeful for regional conservation efforts, and demonstrates what is possible given adequate protection and collaborative measures to boost their numbers in the wild.”

WWF’s project leader Dr Jacques Flamand added, “This is why WWF entered into partnership with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife nearly two decades ago. It’s what we’re about. We decided to increase the range of black rhino in order to increase growth rate and numbers of the critically endangered species. It started slowly and has taken a lot of hard work and commitment from a lot of partners. Now we are starting to see the results that we hoped for.”

Malawi is currently overseeing a resurgence of wildlife under its new conservation policies, which is bringing hope for the survival of several species. It is allowing the country to restore its natural heritage, while enhancing several social, economic and environmental benefits.

Ethiopian Airlines is once again demonstrating their commitment to Ethiopian businesses and individuals. The airline has partnered with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to source locally grown produce and ingredients for preparing in-flight meals for global passengers. In a joint statement the airline and USAID said that the deal “will provide Ethiopian farmers and food producers technical assistance and access to financing in order to ensure they are able to meet the airlines’ standards of quality and volume to serve its customers. These new business linkages will help farmers and local agribusinesses reach a prominent new market and increase their revenue streams – with annual sales as high as $10 million in total – while providing Ethiopian Airlines farm-fresh ingredients sourced directly from Ethiopia, reducing the need for foreign suppliers’ processed foods for their catering services.”

U.S. Ambassador Michael Raynor went on to say that “the partnership we’re launching today demonstrates what’s achievable when prominent businesses like Ethiopian Airlines invest in other Ethiopian businesses and individuals”

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam added “We deeply value our relationship with USAID and extend our appreciation to USAID for all the support. The new partnership consolidates our effort to continue providing high-quality inflight meals to global passengers while intensifying our effort in creating an enabling environment for local farmers across the value chain. We would like to maintain our partnership with USAID on a range of spheres.”

The partnership agreement will run until December 2022, but the deals Ethiopian Airlines makes with local producers and farmers could very well run on long after that date.

In these difficult times planning a vacation, getaway, business or personal trip can be extremely stressful, but now thanks to Ethiopian Airlines Group the trip can be a little easier. Any international flights from the 1st of October 2020 until the 31st of March 2021 are now covered by their ‘Sheba Coverage’, an insurance package meant to help their passengers out in possible times of need.

‘Sheba Coverage’ will cover the medical insurance, including repatriation, evacuation and quarantine costs related to Covid-19 for international passengers. Up to €100,000 of medical expenses will be covered in addition to quarantine costs of up to €150 per day for a maximum of 14 days.  24/7 assistance is also available through the airline’s hotline. The coverage is valid for 92 days for a round trip and 31 days for a one-way trip.

In a released statement, Ethiopian Group CEO, Tewolde GebreMariam said “We are glad to be among the pioneer global airlines to introduce this extra security measure and provide global cover for Covid-19 with a view to boost passengers’ confidence.

“Our Sheba Comfort insurance scheme is part of the measures we have been taking to ensure the health and wellbeing of passengers on the ground and onboard. As travel safety continues to evolve by the day, we will always be at the forefront of adopting all necessary changes to ensure the safety of our passengers as our top priority.”

The service is provided in collaboration with AXA Partners and Awash Insurance Company and is meant to help provide passengers with a peace of mind that would have been otherwise unavailable.

For Christians around the world Christmas and Easter are two of their most important holidays. In Ethiopia however the Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean Orthodox churches celebrate a third major holiday called Meskel.

The celebration of Meskel is also known as The Finding Of The True Cross, and it commemorates the discovery of the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified by the Romans. It was allegedly found in the fourth century by the Roman Empress Helena (also known as Saint Helena). Meskel occurs on the 17 Meskerem in the Ethiopian calendar and it it will be celebrated on 27th September (Gregorian calendar) this year. The main festival takes places in Meskel Square in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa, where hundreds of thousands of people gather over the course of the day.

Throughout the day religious and civil leaders, many of whom are colourfully dressed, give speeches, tell biblical themed stories, pray, chant and dance for the gathered crowds. When the day turns to night, and the sun descends from the sky, a massive conical pyre known as the Demera is burned. As the story goes, Saint Helena had a revelation in a dream where she was told to make a bonfire whose smoke would lead her to the burial spot of the True Cross. Her prophetic dream proved true, with the smoke rising to the sky during the burning of the Demera, and descending where the cross was buried.

Meskel isn’t just celebrated in Addis Ababa, as many Ethiopians and Eritreans who live in the cities return home to their villages, but it is unique to the two countries. It’s now registered with UNESCO as well, as an element of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

                When it comes to music it’s hard to tell what will become a hit, or what will cause it to become a hit. Case in point the South African song Jerusalema. Jerusalema was first released in December of 2019, and although it was a hit in its native country at the time, it didn’t make much of a splash in the rest of the world until mid 2020. The song, recorded by producer Master KG with vocals by Nomcebo, went viral thanks to a social media driven challenge known as the #JerusalemaChallenge where people across the globe would create videos of themselves dancing to the music. Since then a remix featuring Nigerian singer Burna Boy has been released which has hit US Billboard charts, and the song would become the most Shazamed song in the world. But how did it get to that point?

                Jerusalema played on South African radio stations over the holiday season in 2019, and with its religious-leaning lyrics sung in Zulu it made a lot of sense why it became a local hit. The upbeat, disco-like tempo took it further than that however, and in February 2020 a video of  an Angolan dance studio’s members line dancing to the song while carrying their food and eating started to go viral on YouTube and TikTok. Soon others started dancing to the beats, including a Zimbabwe bridal party, a German flash mob and more. Each instance was accompanied by the hashtag #JerusalemaChallenge or #JerusalemaDanceChallenge. These videos made the song itself more popular that anyone ever thought it would be.

                Burna Boy’s version of the song has reached number one on the charts in ten countries, and the song has been streamed on Spotify more than 66 million times. The original video on YouTube by Master KG has had over 140 million views. Now that’s quite a hit for a song that came out of nowhere.