Selected Speeches Of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, 1918-1967

It has given Us great pleasure to be present here at this hospital named after one of Our National heroes Dejazmatch Balcha, on the occasion of the Commemoration of its first decade devoted to the fruitful cause of helping the sick and preserving the health of Our people.

It is a fact that the very word "hospital" is a symbol of memorial to the sacrifice made by man for the well-being of his fellow-men. This humanitarian and charitable task of helping the ailing and infirm, of keeping men and women in good health that they may properly fulfil their civic duties, is indeed a sacred duty of substantial value to mankind, going beyond all national barriers, beyond all narrow affinities of race and religion.

It is indeed as a result of this that medical science, springing out of the love of man for his fellow-men and out of sympathy for his suffering, has been universally accepted as having no boundaries nor biases.

Indeed, We can hardly think of a better means to secure mutual understanding and cultural co-operation among the peoples of the world, than to labour selflessly and lovingly in the field of medical service for the relief of those who stand in great need of such aid.

The activities of this hospital, during the past ten years of its existence in general, and specifically its pursuit of service in the noble tradition of Soviet Medicine, and its desire to help Ethiopia in the spirit of co-operation and friendship, have indeed borne fruit in a manner that is pleasing to Us.

We can never forget the great help rendered to Our country by the Russian Red Cross Society during the hard and perilous times of 1896 and by the medical mission in 1897, during the reign of His Majesty the Emperor Menelik II. That timely aid will gratefully be remembered for ever.

We wish to express Our thanks for the greetings of the more than 24 million members of the Red Cross Society of the Soviet Union, conveyed to Us through their distinguished Vice-President, and We Would be very pleased if Our own greetings with the expression of Our admiration, as well as Our good wishes be conveyed to the great people of the Soviet Union.

We wish to thank the doctors and assistants and the members of the nursing and administrative staff, of the Dejazmatch Balcha Hospital, for the medical aid that they have rendered in the spirit of kindness and love to the sick who have come to this Hospital in search for such help that the Red Cross Society of the Soviet Union has given in the form of modern medical equipment, in order to develop and perfect the facilities of this hospital.

We would like to state on this occasion that this hospital will continue to enjoy Our help and interest as it has in the years of the past.

October 26, 1957.

Selected Speeches Of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I

DEDJAZMATCH BALCHA HOSPITAL