Authority Aspiring to Get Upper Awash Basin Registered as World Heritage Site

Addis Ababa August 2/2022 (ENA)Efforts are well underway to get the Upper Awash Basin registered as World Heritage Site, according to the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH).

ARCCH Director-General, Abebaw Ayalew said Ethiopia has requested the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to register the Upper Awash Basin as a World Heritage Site.

The site is shortlisted with the organization, he added.

Up until now, Ethiopia has successfully got registered several tangible and intangible heritages by UNESCO.

Among the heritages include the Lalibela Rock hewn churches, Semien Mountains National Park,  Castel of Fasiledes, Obelisks of Axum, the Jegol Walled City, and Tiya ancient stelae.

The Lower Awash Valley, Lower Omo Valley Archaeological Site, Konso Landscape, Meskel Festival Celebration, Fetche Chambalala, Geda system and Timket celebration are also world heritages.

According to the director-general, the Upper Awash Basin --- the site ARCCH is striving to get registered, contains ancient stone tools used by Homo habilis.

Information related to the area is being organized, he added.

The Melka Kunture Prehistoric Heritage, a museum and research center that contains a collection of prehistoric sites, is located in the upper Awash Basin.

The area is located 50 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, and it is home to ancient artifacts that are 1.8 million years old.

For the past 52 years the area has been used as a research and study center as well as a tourist destination.

The authority, together with the Ethiopian Mapping Agency, is working on the map of the area, it was learned.