On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 claimed 157 lives, leaving grieving families who gathered to honor their loved ones. In December 2019, a ten-member family committee was established to work with Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines, and other stakeholders to ensure a respectful design. In February 2022, after an international design competition, Alebel Desta Consulting Architects and Engineers were selected for their concept focused on absence, revelation, and healing.
The memorial was inaugurated on March 10, 2025, the sixth anniversary of the crash, with nearly 1,200 attendees. Speeches by family representatives, Alebel Desta, Ethiopian Airlines’ CEO Mesfin Tasew, and government officials marked the ceremony, as families laid flowers by the burial ground and unveiled plaques bearing victims’ names.
The memorial park centers on two sacred sites: the Crash Site and the Burial Ground. A main trail retraces the final moments of the flight, leading to a sculptural monument formed by four inclined, earth-red pigmented concrete forms representing Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia. Plaques resembling Boeing 737 MAX 8 windows display names, birth years, and nationalities. Each inclined form leads to a raised cubicle with bronze plaques sharing each continent’s story.
At its heart, a 28-meter Burial Ground is encircled by a circular walkway linked to the monument. The Healing Monument, a Corten steel sculpture with a perforated surface, lets light filter through, symbolizing the journey from sorrow to healing. An adjacent amphitheater for over 360 people and a Rock Garden offer spaces for collective and quiet reflection. Supporting facilities blend discreetly into the landscape.
This living work of art stands at the crossroads of memory, healing, and education, ensuring the legacy of those lost endures. The project, driven by heartfelt collaboration and resilience, honors the victims while inspiring enduring hope and future remembrance.
Source: Alebel Desta