By Ebi Kesiena
Head of the UNESCO Liaison Office to the African Union Commission, Rita Bissoonauth has stressed that Ethiopia’s beautiful world heritage sites must be conserved for future generations.
In an interview, the director revealed that Ethiopia has now become the number one country in the African continent with 11 world heritage sites with the addition of two more sites in a recent meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“Ethiopia’s world heritage sites are the most beautiful and this is why as UNESCO, you have been given this title. The sites are of universal value and this shows how important those sites are for your culture, and for your history.”
According to Bissoonauth, the heritage sites are a legacy not only to the next generation but to many generations.
While congratulating the Government of Ethiopia on the addition of the two more world heritage sites of Gedeo Cultural Landscape and Bale Mountains National Park, Bissoonauth stressed that it is not easy to get enlisted in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites.
“It takes a lot of work. It is not just writing a little project. It takes years of research for a long time. So, congratulations to Ethiopia for such a well-deserved recognition.” She said.
On the issue of getting enlisted, the director stressed that when a government makes such a request, it shows a commitment to preserve, conserve, and ensure a lasting legacy.
“What we do as UNESCO is, we organize visits regularly to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. At the beginning of the year, we went to Lalibela to see the beautiful Lalibela and also to able to celebrate Epiphany (Timket) which is also a UNESCO intangible heritage site.”
Ethiopia’s 11 UNESCO World Heritages are: Aksum, Fasil Ghebbi, Konso Cultural Landscape, Lower Valley of the Awash, Lower Valley of the Omo, the Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela, Gedeo Cultural Landscape, Tiya, Bale Mountains National Park, and Simien National Park.
