UNESCO Global Geoparks in SIDS Countries - Webinar

In the framework of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme and as part of one of UNESCO's priorities - the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) - a series of two webinars dedicated to the promotion of the UNESCO Global Geoparks concept in these countries, will be organized. The first, "UNESCO Global Geoparks for the SIDS in the Caribbean, Africa, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea (AIMS)" will be held on 2nd of December 2021, from 1.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. (CET Paris time), with simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Spanish. The second "UNESCO Global Geoparks for the SIDS in the Pacific region" will be held on 3rd of December 2021, from 8.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. (CET Paris time).

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UNESCO Global Geoparks are the youngest UNESCO site designations. Created in 2015, there are currently 169 Geoparks in 44 countries, covering a total of nearly 400,000 km². Although the network has been expanding fast, the concept remains largely unknown in some parts of the world. Small Island Developing States are part of that group where, despite having enormous potential for local sustainable development and an extremely rich geological heritage, the concept is still poorly understood.

With that in mind, UNESCO and its partners, particularly the Global Geoparks Network, developed a strategy to promote the concept and provide training and support. The upcoming webinars on the 2nd and 3rd of December are an important step of that strategy. They will target national and regional experts of geological surveys, academia, nature conservation experts and parks managers, representatives of the tourism industry and other interested stakeholders.

By the end of the webinar, participants should have a better understanding of the fundamentals of UNESCO Global Geoparks, particularly what these are, what makes them special and how different they are from other designated sites, as well as how to create one. The webinars will also cover the importance of geological heritage and the need to connect it with natural, cultural and intangible heritage.

UNESCO expects that, through this action, governments and related organizations feel encouraged to develop UNESCO Geopark projects in their respective countries.

These webinars are a joint effort from the UNESCO SIDS section and the section for Earth Sciences and Geohazard Risk Reduction. For any further information, please contact Marie-Laure Faber ([email protected]) and Khalissa Ikhlef ([email protected]).

Find more information on UNESCO Global Geoparks here.