Sami Andrews is a fellow Ambassador's Distinguished Scholar who came from Gonder University to lecture on “Globalization, Sovereignty and Ethiopia in the Age of Creativity Jurisprudence”. This spurred a discussion on the Marrakesh Treaty, amongst other things. The Marrakesh Treaty is an international copyright treaty to create "limitations and exceptions for the benefit of the blind, visually impaired, and otherwise print disabled (VIPs)." For more information on this treaty go to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) site.
For more information on this creative clinic, or to get involved, contact David Tushaus at [email protected].

Faculty took me on a tour of a couple of Legal Aid Centers that Bahir Dar University operates. The 6 Centers depend on in-kind donations of office space and a small budget from the University. The goal is to expand the visibility of the centers and increase their outside funding so they can be a greater force for change in the community and education for the students. 
This is the Center in Bahir Dar close to the Court of Appeals and where I live. I was also able to visit the center in the prison. That was especially interesting and active. I sat in on a couple of interviews of prisoners by students, which was interesting, even if I could not understand a word of the Amharic spoken. The problems, summarized for me later by the faculty supervisor, included a prisoner who has merely been accused and has waited months for a trial. This is a critical issue in many countries, including the United States. BDU needs funding to be able to do more work at these Legal Aid Centers.

I had an opportunity to tour the domestic violence shelter in Bahir Dar. One of my proposed projects is to conduct a Sex and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Clinic at Bahir Dar University Law School.  My hope is to have students study the international law Ethiopia has signed on to and make recommendations for changes to its present domestic law. It is my understanding Ethiopia has not criminalized marital rape and has no civil order of protection law. We can at least expose the students to these issues and get a conversation going on adopting these laws.
The shelter is in a nice new building. It has a lot of programs for the residents. Classes, art therapy, drama therapy, and group therapy. The staff was very nice and welcoming.

On June 22, 2019, the president of the Amhara State and his advisor were assassinated in the president's office here in Bahir Dar. The Ethiopian government has characterized this assassination as a coup d'etat. A court hearing on October 8, where the Court denied the government's request for more time to investigate the case the government is trying to bring against Brigadier General Tefera Mamo, commander of the region's special forces, and Colonel Alebel Amare. This lead to peaceful protests on October 8. See the story at https://borkena.com/2019/10/08/ethiopia-brigadier-general-tefera-mamo-et-al-case/

On October 14, Brigadier General Tefera Mamo and Colonel Alebel Amare were released on a bail bond of 10,000 Ethiopian Birr. Less than $350. This lead to these protests in the street. For more information see https://borkena.com/2019/10/14/ethiopia-brig-general-tefera-mamo-el-at-on-bail-amid-mounting-protest-for-their-release/
Some have told us these protesters want the Amhara region to gain independence from Ethiopia. I have not seen that in print, though I have not looked for evidence of it extensively.

Lake Tana is the source for the Blue Nile, the main tributary of the historic Nile River, the longest river in Africa. The falls are one of the main sites to see near Bahir Dar. We arrived at the end of the rainy season, so they were at their best.
You drive through farms and villages on what I would call a rough road. There is a lot to see and enjoy on the way. Best of all, it's a good hike up to the falls on a trail the locals use for commerce, and to try to sell you everything from trinkets to help with pictures. Kids beg for pens "for school." Adults ask for money for school or just in general. A musician plays a traditional instrument at the end of the trail. That I paid for.
I don't enjoy the touts, but nobody does. We were warned they will walk along and try to help you over parts of the trail, then demand payment in the end. I did let a guy take a few pictures. He was unhappy about his tip at the end. This is the part of traveling I don't enjoy. I know people need the money, but I prefer to give in more systematic ways to try to make more of an impact.
My colleagues Hilarie, Jill and Merouane were joined by Johannes, a student in Merouane's Department, and an official guide. It may have been a bit of a challenge for some, but worth it for all.

The churning river foreshadows the political/legal controversy downstream. Water rights are always a potential for conflict. Even more so in a future with climate change creating more uncertainty in weather and the possibility of crop failures, not to mention sufficient drinking water for a growing population. Although this controversy has been covered well globally in sources like Al Jazeera, and of course locally, I doubt much of the Western World is in tune to it.
The Blue Nile provides over half of the water in the Nile, Egypt's water supply, as well as a source for Sudan. So Ethiopia's nearly finished hydroelectric dam on the Sudan border has caused a source of dispute between the countries. The dam can make Ethiopia an energy exporter in the next couple of years. But Egypt is concerned it will pay for this with insufficient water for its needs. For more information FanaBC's story from October 8, 2019: 
Ethiopia Says Egypt’s New Proposal On GERD Crossed Red Line
The map above helps provide some helpful context. You can find it here.
I am finding there are other conflicts on the Blue Nile here, including industry pollution. Hopefully there will be a project created around this.