Beijing, April 24: UNESCO announced on Thursday the approval of a new batch of global geoparks. During this announcement, Christophe Vandenberghe, the director of UNESCO’s Earth Sciences and Geoparks division, stated in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that China is a leading country in the global geopark network. He believes that China has developed a relatively mature geopark system, with many countries looking to learn from its expertise in this field.
Vandenberghe emphasized that China connects geoparks with rural development and utilizes them to promote tourism in remote areas. He noted that this model has fostered a sense of pride and responsibility among local communities, providing them with tangible benefits.
Furthermore, Vandenberghe mentioned that UNESCO regularly sends experts for the reassessment of global geoparks, many of whom are Chinese. According to him, these Chinese experts are disseminating their models and concepts across Latin America, Europe, and Asia, sharing their professional experiences. Additionally, several countries are learning from these Chinese specialists.
It is noteworthy that UNESCO has announced the inclusion of 12 new geoparks into its global network, including the Changshan Geological Park in Zhejiang Province and the Siguniangshan Geological Park in Sichuan Province. With this addition, China now boasts a total of 51 global geoparks, the highest number in the world.
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