Opening of the 8th International Conference of the Asia-Pacific Geoparks Network

Attending the conference were comrades: Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Tran Hong Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Cao Bang Provincial Party Committee; Ha Kim Ngoc, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO; Nong Thi Ha, Deputy Minister - Vice Chairman of the Ethnic Committee; Hoang Xuan Anh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee.

International delegates: Ms. Lidia Brito, Assistant Director General of UNESCO for Natural Sciences; Mr. Nickolas Zouro, President of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network; Mr. Jin XiaoChi, Vice President of the Global Geoparks Network Executive Board, Regional Coordinator of the Global Geoparks Network for Asia-Pacific. With more than 800 domestic and international delegates.

Chairman of Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee Hoang Xuan Anh spoke.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Hoang Xuan Anh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Cao Bang province, shared that with the theme "Local community and sustainable development in the Geopark area" and many rich, attractive and practical activities, this conference aims to find many useful solutions in building and developing the title of Global Geopark; thereby contributing to preserving and promoting the values ​​of heritage types towards sustainable development.

To make the 8th conference a success, comrade Hoang Xuan Anh suggested that delegates and members of the Geopark Network focus on collective intelligence and responsibility to share experiences in building and developing Geoparks.

From there, together find solutions to the current global challenges, especially strengthening the role of local communities, the subjects of Geoparks, in conservation activities, building and promoting the value of Geoparks for a sustainable community development.

Delegates attending the opening ceremony.

Thanking Cao Bang province for warmly welcoming delegates and thoughtfully organizing the conference, Mr. Nickolas Zouro, Chairman of the Global Geoparks Network, emphasized that the challenges from climate change are requiring us to have stronger and more specific thinking to respond to climate change and the risk of natural disasters.

Thereby, enhancing the capacity of the community in responding to climate change, creating a safer world.

Mr. Nickolas Zouro suggested that, in the spirit of understanding and friendship, the conference delegates should exchange good experiences and new ways of preserving and promoting the value of Geoparks.

Sharing the losses caused by storm Yagi in the northern region and Cao Bang province in particular, Ms. Lidia Brito, Assistant Director General of UNESCO for Natural Sciences, emphasized that the impact of climate change spares no one, we need to make joint and persistent efforts to reduce the impact and damage of climate change.

Emphasizing the purpose of the Global Geopark Network is to connect and unite through commitments to protect heritage and sustainable development, Ms. Lidia Brito suggested that conference delegates increase exchanges of knowledge and experience in protecting landscapes, heritages, and cultural identities in the Geopark area and sustainable development.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son shared the losses and grief of the people in the North and Cao Bang province in particular due to Typhoon Yagi and its aftermath. He asked localities to overcome the consequences of natural disasters and soon stabilize people's lives and production.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and delegates attending the conference.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that in the context of the implementation of the United Nations' sustainable development goals facing a number of challenges and difficulties, the activities of the Global Geoparks Network are a "solution" to this global problem.

In that spirit, Comrade Bui Thanh Son proposed that the conference discuss and clarify a number of new cooperation directions, such as determining a comprehensive approach to unify awareness and action on conservation and promotion of geopark values ​​for sustainable development. In particular, delegates need to discuss integrating sustainable development principles into biodiversity conservation policies, protecting ecosystems, natural environments and cultural identities of communities; at the same time, linking conservation and management of geoparks with sustainable development policies.

Parties in the Global Geoparks Network need to promote multi-stakeholder partnerships and international cooperation to develop global geoparks associated with sustainable development.

Parties also need to promote a 5-year, 10-year long-term vision for developing the Global Geoparks Network into a strong international cooperation network to preserve and promote the value of geological heritage not only for our benefit but also for future generations.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized: “I expect the Cao Bang Declaration to be an important document assessing the Network's activities over the past two decades, proposing cooperation orientations in the coming decade, especially next year, which will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Program (2015-2025).”

Booth introducing cultural identity and products of Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark.

The 8th international conference of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network in the Asia-Pacific region includes seminars on conservation and sustainable development of Geoparks; booths promoting products and cultural identities at Geoparks.

The conference will close on September 15.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/khai-mac-hoi-nghi-quoc-te-lan-thu-8-mang-luoi-cong-vien-dia-chat-khu-vuc-chau-a-thai-binh-duong-post830376.html