UNESCO: Ethiopia’s Gedeo Cultural Landscape as World Heritage

On Sunday, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) registered Ethiopia's Gedeo cultural landscape as a world heritage.

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The registration was announced at the 45th extended session of the World Heritage Committee being underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the presence of Ethiopian Minister of Tourism Nasise Chale, the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported.

According to the ministry, following the entry of Gedeo cultural landscape' entry into UNESCO's heritage site, the number of UNESCO-inscribed cultural and natural heritages in Ethiopia has reached 10, the 100th in Africa.

The heritage comprises forest, which has been protected through generations, ENA quoted Chale as saying during the session.

She said the site is also known for its multi-layer cultivation which has been practiced for centuries by the Gedeo people who are also exemplary for their indigenous knowledge in conservation of the ecosystem and soil fertility.

The landscape has over 6,000 megalithic stelae with their attractive images for researchers, foreign and local visitors, Chale said.

Highlighting that the inscription of the Gedeo cultural landscape by UNESCO will enable the heritage to get sustainable protection, members of UNESCO heritages committee affirmed that the registration will also help it become a great tourism attraction.

The Gedeo cultural landscape lies along the eastern edge of the Main Ethiopian Rift, on the steep escarpments of the Ethiopian highlands.

The World Heritage Committee meets once a year, and consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.