Ambassador Eshete Tilahun Highlights Heritage Cooperation at African Collections Workshop
Bahir Dar/Brussels, 30 July 2025- H.E. Ambassador Eshete Tilahun delivered remarks at the “Workshop on the Ethics of Curating African Collections,” co-organized by the Africa Museum (Belgium) and Bahir-Dar University Museum Project (Ethiopia). Addressing curators, scholars, and heritage professionals, Ambassador Eshete emphasized the critical role of ethics, restitution, and international collaboration in preserving Africa’s cultural legacy.
The Ambassador commended the joint efforts between Belgian and Ethiopian institutions, calling them a model for future partnerships. He accent Ethiopia’s longstanding diplomatic ties with Belgium, dating back to 1906, and pointed to upcoming cultural events, including the proposed exhibition “High Voltage and Highlights: Ethiopia and Belgium.”
He highlighted Ethiopia’s robust legal framework for heritage protection, its engagement in international conventions like UNESCO’s 1970 treaty, and recent successful restitution efforts, including the return of sacred and royal artifacts from the United Kingdom.
Ambassador Eshete also called on curators not only to preserve but to actively help restore Africa’s looted heritage, and to amplify African narratives globally. He urged further action in four key areas: deepening Ethiopia-Belgium heritage collaboration, elevating the historical significance of artifacts, strengthening legal frameworks, and raising up public understanding and systemic ownership of cultural heritage.
