SEMERA, Ethiopia - Professor Donald Johanson, renowned for his discovery of "Lucy," and his research team from Arizona State University have arrived in Semera, the regional capital of Ethiopia's Afar region. The visit marks a significant occasion, coinciding with the approaching 50th anniversary of Lucy's discovery.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, upon their arrival at Semera Airport, Professor Johanson and his team of paleoanthropologists received a warm welcome from the leadership of the Afar region Tourism Bureau, students from Semera University's Tourism Department, and the university's cultural music band. Yohannes Haile-Selassie, Director of the Human Origins Institute at Arizona State University, highlighted Ethiopia's crucial role in the study of human evolution during the welcoming ceremony.

The discovery of the 3.2-million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis skeleton, known as Lucy, in the Hadar area of the Afar region, has reinforced Ethiopia's status as a primary location for understanding the origins of humanity. The team's current visit to Ethiopia includes plans to engage in discussions with Ethiopian scholars, further collaborative research with Semera University, and revisit the Hadar area where Lucy was first unearthed.

Ahmed Abdulkadir, Head of the Afar Tourism Bureau, remarked on the historical significance of Professor Johanson's discovery of Lucy, stating it as an official recognition of Ethiopia as the birthplace of humankind. He emphasized that the research team's visit to the Afar region is pivotal in promoting tourism and enhancing awareness of the area's rich cultural and historical heritage, both regionally and nationally.