For the eventual Blade Runner-esque “Final Cut” boxed set we’ll never get but I’d like to see:
Star Wars (Original Theatrical version)
97 Special Edition
2019 Special Edition
Special Edition-Lite version (mostly just recomposited special effects, no new scenes, etc.)
I can live without the 04 and 11 Special Edition versions as they are already readily available on disc.
So to answer your question, yes the '97 Special Edition is important. It was the way many people saw it in the theater for the first time.