🇪🇹 While Much of the World Is in 2026, Ethiopia Welcomes 2019

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — September 11, 2026: While Cameroon and most countries around the world are marking the year 2026, Ethiopia is celebrating the beginning of 2019, as the country welcomes its New Year under the Ethiopian calendar.

Ethiopians across the country and communities abroad are celebrating Enkutatash, the Ethiopian New Year, which falls on September 11 under the Gregorian calendar. The occasion marks the first day of the Ethiopian calendar year, known as Meskerem 1.

The difference in the year is linked to Ethiopia's unique calendar system, which differs from the Gregorian calendar used by most countries, including Cameroon. The Ethiopian calendar has 13 months — twelve months of 30 days each and a short 13th month known as Pagume.

The Ethiopian calendar is generally around seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar, meaning that September 11, 2026, corresponds to the beginning of 2019 in Ethiopia.

Enkutatash is widely celebrated as a time of renewal, family gatherings and new beginnings. Celebrations include religious services, traditional meals, music, dancing and cultural activities, while children in some communities mark the occasion by singing and presenting flowers.

The New Year also coincides with the end of Ethiopia's main rainy season, when the countryside becomes greener and yellow flowers begin to bloom in many areas. The seasonal change has become an important part of the symbolism surrounding Enkutatash.

For people in countries such as Cameroon, where the Gregorian calendar is used in everyday life, the sight of Ethiopia celebrating 2019 while the rest of the world is in 2026 may appear unusual. However, the difference reflects two distinct calendar systems rather than a difference in the actual passage of time.

Ethiopia continues to use its traditional calendar alongside the international Gregorian calendar for different aspects of daily, religious, cultural and administrative life.

As Ethiopians welcome the New Year, messages of peace, prosperity, unity and hope are being shared across the country.

Happy Ethiopian New Year — Melkam Addis Amet! 🇪🇹🎉

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