ADDIS ABABA (AFP) — Tens of thousands of Rastafarians converged on Addis Ababa for a massive concert as part of the celebrations marking Ethiopia’s new millennium.

The Horn of Africa country, which is the cradle of the Rastafari movement, follows a unique version of the Julian calendar and entered its third millennium on September 12, seven years after the rest of the world.

“More than 25 artists mainly from Ethiopia will perform for two days in Meskel Square,” said Ras Kesh Kassaye, one of the organisers, just before the concert kicked off.

He said some 50,000 people were expected to come to listen to rasta artists such a King Kong and Luciano and added that 10 percent of the proceeds would be donated to a millennium-sponsored fund for orphans.

Meskel square is one of the main landmarks in the Ethiopian capital and was where a huge concert marking the 60th anniversary of rasta icon Bob Marley’s birth took place two years ago.

The Rastafari movement accepts Ethiopia’s former emperor Haile Selassie I as a living God. The emperor — who died in 1975 — had invited Rastafarians to settle in Sheshemane, some 160 kilometres (100 miles) south of the capital.

The community still exists and is believed to number around 3,000.

“This millennium has special significance for us Rastas because for 2,000 years, we’ve been told that Jesus was white but his majesty (Haile Selassie) has shown the way and marked a new era,” said Ras Abye Tilahun.

Ras Abye Tilahun is one of the co-organisers and has translated Bob Marley lyrics into the Amharic language.

“Ethiopia was never colonised, it has its own Church… it is the place of Africa’s rebirth,” he added. “We are at the forefront and this is a sign of hope.”

According to the Ethiopian authorities, some 30,000 Rastafarians have travelled from Jamaica and other countries for the concert.

Tens of thousands of Ethiopians from all over the country and the diaspora took part in a concert and other events on the night of September 11 that kicked off the country’s year-long millennium celebrations.