Lake Tana, a vital and unique natural treasure, is on track to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, potentially becoming Ethiopia's second natural site to receive the prestigious designation.

The Amhara region, renowned for its rich cultural history, is already home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Castles of Gondar, the Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, and the Simien Mountains National Park. The Simien Mountains were, in fact, Ethiopia's first natural site to be inscribed on the list, a distinction they received in 1978. Simien Mountains National Park is also recognized as the first natural site in Africa to be inscribed on the World Heritage List.

According to Dr. Ayele Anawute, Deputy Head of the Amhara Region Culture and Tourism Bureau, the campaign to get Lake Tana listed has been a two-year effort. He confirmed that a joint study with the Ethiopian Heritage Authority was submitted to UNESCO and has since been accepted for review.

Dr. Ayele anticipates that Lake Tana will be officially inscribed at the 48th UNESCO conference, which is set to take place in South Korea later this year.

To finalize the nomination, a team of UNESCO experts is scheduled to visit Ethiopia at the end of September. During their trip, they will physically verify the information in the submitted study and assess the condition of the lake and its resources firsthand. Following their visit and consultations with the local community, the experts will prepare a report. Based on these findings, officials are optimistic that the site will be added to the prestigious list.