WHEREAS, cultural heritage is a testimony of human civilization, culture, and history, it has become necessary to define, by law, the body responsible for safeguarding its sustainable continuity;

WHEREAS, it has become necessary to establish a participatory cultural heritage management system, so that cultural heritages provide sustainable social and economic development to the local community, in particular, and to the country, in general;

WHEREAS, the prior classification of cultural heritages has become necessary to undertake background works for the nomination of additional cultural heritages of the country for inscription in the World Heritage List;

WHEREAS, it has become essential to define the role of Federal and Regional organs in the administration of cultural heritages to avoid responsibility overlaps and wastages of resources and to establish a speedy administrative and procedural system;

WHEREAS, it is also stipulated, under Article 16 of the Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage Proclamation No. 209/2000, that classification of cultural heritages at national and regional levels shall be determined by law;

NOW, THEREFORE, in accordance with Article 55 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, it is hereby proclaimed as follows: