Ethiopia working to register more heritage sites in UNESCO

Addis Ababa, December 18, 2023 (FBC) – Ethiopia is finalizing document arrangements to register more tangible and intangible heritages with UNESCO, the Ethiopian Heritage Research and Protection Authority has announced.

In a media briefing, the Director General of the Authority, the director of the authority, Abebaw Ayalew, underscored that the the survey and document preparation on Melka Kunture Heritage site to register it as an intangible world heritage by the end of 2024 has been completed and sent to the relevant body.

He also pointed out that efforts are being made to register Isa’s traditional and oral legal system as tangible world heritage.

The Director General said that efforts will be made to register the Isa system as a common heritage in cooperation with three East African countries.

The process of registration of the common heritage will be carried out by the cooperation of Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti, Abebaw disclosed, indicating that Ethiopia is carrying out the document preparation.

It is known that Meskel-Demera and Timket Festival as well as the Fiche Chambelala festival and the Geda traditional administrative system have been registered as intangible world heritage in the past from Ethiopia

At the UNESCO 18th Intangible Heritage Protection Conference held in Kasane, Botswana, from December 4-9, 2023, Shawulid Festival, celebration of the Harari people, was registered as an intangible world heritage.

Tangible and intangible resources registered as world heritage will create an opportunity to attract foreign visitors, Abebaw asserted.