Authority plans to bring 10 stolen artefacts home from various countries

Addis Ababa, January 29, 2023 (FBC) – Ethiopian Heritage Authority disclosed that it has brought back two religious manuscripts among the illegally taken out of the country over the last six months.

Ethiopian Heritage Authority Heritage Inventory and Inspection Director Tesfalem Abebaw told EPA that the Authority has been working on returning a total of ten heritages that were stolen and are now found in various countries.

The committee has been conducting the research to bring back the remaining heritages that were lost due to war, gifts and in other ways.

“Some 19 artifacts or heritages were returned to Ethiopia, which is a large number according to previous years, over the last year alone. The returned heritages were manuscripts, crosses, silver-plated trophies and others. The Authority has been conserving these returned artifacts,” he added.

Lack of interest to return heritages taken in different ways and absence of laws to protect and bring back heritages have been challenges in due course of getting artifacts back home.

In order to permanently solve the problem and return the artefacts, it needs tireless diplomatic efforts in this end. He emphasized that in addition to bringing back stolen heritages the local heritage should also be properly protected and museums should be built and organized at different places.

Wide awareness creation campaign and education for Ethiopian society is highly required to pass down essence of heritages to generation, he added.