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Around 12 cultural items have been officially returned to Ethiopia following staying by a family in Germany for in excess of a century.

The items, originally collected in the 1920s by Germany's representative to the Ethiopian empire Franz Weiss and his wife Hedwig, were delivered on this past Wednesday to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at the university in Addis Ababa.

This collection contained royal crowns, protective shields and canvases, each regarded as historically valuable in the nation.

"These artefacts still represent a symbol of the long-standing and amicable relationship between Germany and the Ethiopian people," said Germany's envoy, Germany's ambassador to the East African country.

Professor a professor, whose father was delivered during the household's assignment in the nation, handed over the artefacts at a event attended by the Minister of Tourism Selamawit Kassa.

He said that the family's goal to restore the items was to "display their beauty with the people and safeguard the heritage and history linked to my parent's beginning."

The artefacts were either considered presents or buys, as stated by the household.

"I would like to thank Professor Weiss's household for practically demonstrating their deep love for the nation by meticulously preserving these treasures and vitally securing their homecoming to their proper homeland," said the minister of tourism.

She noted that the items would in the near future be available to the general audience for investigation and scholarly work, describing the move a significant step in preserving the nation's national treasures.

"Initiatives are ongoing to bring back old objects that are located in the possession of collectors and organizations throughout the world," the minister said.

During colonial rule in the African continent, many of traditional items were plundered.

This demand by African countries for the return of taken artefacts has been answered with certain progress in recent years - although some items are merely on temporary return.

Back in two years ago, the German government was the initial state to repatriate a selection of the famous historical items to Nigeria in an attempt to address its "complex past."

Related Topics

• Cultural Repatriation Initiatives in Africa
• The Impact of Imperial Past on Contemporary African Heritage
• Global Movements for the Restitution of Looted Artefacts