UNESCO adds Ethiopia’s Gifaataa Festival to Intangible Cultural Heritage list
TV BRICS
29 December 2025
The festival marks the New Year of the Wolaita people and symbolises renewal and continuity of traditions
The Gifaataa Festival, which celebrates the Ethiopian New Year among the Wolaita people, has been officially inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is reported by ENA, a partner of TV BRICS.
The decision was announced during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which took place in New Delhi, India.
Celebrated for generations, the Gifaataa Festival symbolises the transition from one year to the next and holds deep cultural meaning for the Wolaita community. Its recognition is also expected to support Ethiopia’s cultural tourism, offering international visitors greater insight into the country’s living traditions and heritage.
Speaking at the session, Ethiopia’s Minister of Tourism Selamawit Kassa highlighted the importance of preserving and promoting the country’s traditional cultural practices, noting their role in strengthening national identity and intergenerational continuity.
UNESCO has previously recognised several elements of Ethiopia’s tangible and intangible heritage. Experts noted that the inclusion of the Gifaataa Festival expands the country’s presence on the list and highlights East Africa’s cultural diversity and historical depth.
The BRICS countries are regions rich in tangible and intangible cultural heritage, many of whose cultural sites and traditions are included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
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In this context, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Reza Salehi Amiri, noted that his country currently has 20 tangible archaeological sites and 28 intangible heritage elements included in the World Heritage List, placing it among the top ten countries in this field.
According to IRNA, a partner of TV BRICS, Reza Salehi Amiri said during a visit to historical sites in Zanjan that he stressed the importance of including Iranian historical and cultural sites on the World Heritage List. “At present, 29 World Heritage sites are registered with UNESCO, but taking into account the preliminary registration of another 58 archaeological sites, the country is ready to register one site per year over the next 58 years,” he stated.
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As a result of this recognition, Indonesia now has 12 geoparks approved by UNESCO, highlighting the country’s rich geological, ecological and cultural diversity.
Photo: ffikretow / iStock