Activities underway to enlist Dire Shakena Hussien Mosque on World Heritage list
The registration of Dire Shakena
Hussien Mosque by UNESCO on World
Heritage list would have a significant
contribution to the tourism industry not
only of Ethiopia but that of Africa as well
26 October, 2008
Addis Ababa, October 25 (WIC) – Activities are underway to get the Dire Shakena Hussien Mosque registered on World Heritage list by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council announced.
Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council Deputy President, Sheik Elias Redman, made this known in the course of signing the agreement to undertake fund raising telethon for development works to be undertaken in the environs of Dire Shakena Hussien Mosque.
The council is working closely with UNESCO country representative with a view to put Ethiopian Islamic heritages on World Heritage list, Sheik Elias said.
Activities are going on to use historical places as well as mosques as part of the image building effort in the country, he said.
According to Sheik Elias, the registration of Dire Shakena Hussien Mosque by UNESCO on World Heritage list would have a significant contribution to the tourism industry not only of Ethiopia but that of Africa as well.
Infrastructural developments need to be intensified side by side the effort to get the mosque registered on world heritage list, he added. International fund raising telethon would be undertaken soon to build hotels, roads as well as expand water and electric services to tourists.
The telethon would take place on January 11 at Sheraton Addis and there is a plan to raise 50 million birr, he said, further calling upon all sections of the society to discharge their responsibility by taking part in the telethon.
Oromia State Culture and Tourism Bureau Head, Aliyou Umer, on his part said that development activities are underway in the environs of the mosque and the state government would work in collaboration with concerned bodies to pass the heritage down generations by maintaining its originality.
The head finally urged the Muslim community to further consolidate the efforts underway to collect and care for Muslim heritages.