Toronto, ON — September 19, 2025 — The Annual Bikila Award “Elevate and Engage” Event, presented in collaboration with the Global Initiative for Civil Conversations (GICC), is set to host a timely and thought-provoking discussion on one of Ethiopia’s most pressing challenges: water and energy security in the post-GERD era.

Taking place on Friday, September 19, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Regis College, University of Toronto (100 Wellesley St. West, Toronto, ON), the event invites the public to explore how the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is shaping Ethiopia’s future.

The keynote speaker, Eng. Gedion Asfaw, Ethiopia’s Chief GERD Negotiator with over 45 years of professional experience, will lead the discussion under the theme: “From Mega-Project to Everyday Impact: Ethiopia’s Construction of GERD Is Finished, But the Water and Energy Struggle Isn’t.”

The interactive hybrid town hall will go beyond headlines, addressing what reliable energy and clean, safe water mean for Ethiopia’s people and development trajectory.

Invited speakers include:

• Dr. Tirusew Asefa, Manager of Planning & System Decision Support at Tampa Bay Water, Florida, and Courtesy Professor at USF.
• Dr. Martha Dagnew, Associate Professor at Western University, London, ON.
• Mr. Shiferaw Lulu, water resources expert with more than 40 years of experience, specializing in groundwater exploration in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Moderator:

• Dr. Abate Wolde-Kirkos, Assistant Professor, TECH 121, Houston, Texas.

The event will also feature an extended Q&A session, providing attendees an opportunity to engage directly with the experts, ask questions, and discuss solutions. Refreshments will be provided, offering time for networking and community dialogue.

Organizers emphasize that while GERD’s completion is a milestone, the conversation about equitable water access and sustainable energy is just beginning.