First Anniversary of Registration of Konso Cultural Landscape as World heritage Center begins
Arba Minch, Ethiopia (ENA) – Celebration of the first anniversary of the registration of the Konso Cultural Landscape as the world heritage center has begun on Friday at Karat Town of Konso Woreda, where the heritage exists.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn urged the young generation to protect and preserve the historic and cultural heritages of the country.
Hailemariam said the government is working to link the heritage sites with other areas in order to increase the benefits of the community from the sites.
Culture and Tourism State Minister, Amin Abdulkadir on his part said as the country has rich historic and cultural heritages the number of visiting tourists has been increasing.
He said the country has envisaged to become one of the leading tourist destination sites in Africa at the end of the Growth and Transformation Period.
Director of UNESCO Office in Addis Ababa, Firmin Matoko also stressed the need for Ethiopia to do its level best to increase benefits from the tourism sector making use of its heritages.
South Ethiopia Peoples’ State Chief, Shiferaw Shigute on his part urged the community to continue the ongoing efforts towards environment protection.
The anniversary is being celebrated for three consecutive days under the theme: “Our Heritage is the Manifestation of our Renaissance and Sustainable Development” .
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had registered the Konso Cultural Landscape as World heritage center as of June 27, 2011.
Konso Cultural Landscape is a 55km2 arid property of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements in the Konso highlands of Ethiopia.
It constitutes a spectacular example of a living cultural tradition stretching back 21 generations (more than 400 years) adapted to its dry hostile environment.
The landscape demonstrates the shared values, social cohesion and engineering knowledge of its communities.
The site also features anthropomorphic wooden statues – grouped to represent respected members of their communities and particularly heroic events – which are an exceptional living testimony to funerary traditions that are on the verge of disappearing.
Stone steles in the towns express a complex system of marking the passing of generations of leaders.
UNESCO registered nine of Ethiopia’s historic and natural heritages, including the Konso Cultural Landscape.
The heritages include, the Rock Hewn Churches of Lalibela, Fasil Ghebbi, Axum obelisques, Tiya monolithic grave marks, Harar Jugol, Konso Cultural Landscape, Lower Valley of the Awash, Lower Valley of the Omo and the Semien Mountains National Park.
