He tells an Africa Day celebration in Pretoria that as South Africa’s leader he was approached by young people disheartened by the perceptions they had been given of history.

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His speech at the Ditsong Museum of South Africa in the capital was devoted to lessons Africans could learn from the victory of Ethiopian troops over the Italians at Adwa in 1896.

That was where Emperor Menelik surprised the world by defeating an Italian army sent to conquer his empire.

Mbeki says Ethiopia’s  victory at the end of nineteenth century and South Africa’s defeat of apartheid at the end of the 20th century were positive lessons that should give heart and courage to the continent’s youth.

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