Ministers…
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that I greet you on behalf of the Assistant Director-General of the UNESCO Natural Sciences Sector, Ms Gretchen Kalonji.
The mandate of UNESCO is to contribute to the building of peace, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue though the sciences, education, culture and communication. Geoparks are an innovative tool to explore the link between geological heritage and all other aspects of societies' natural, cultural and intangible heritages. Geoparks add a new dimension to conservation by recognising as a central principle the relationship between people and geology, the empowerment of local communities, and the ability of an area to develop economically, particularly through geotourism.
UNESCO's governing body this month agreed to prepare a way to formalize the link between the Organization and the Global Geoparks Network. We expect concrete final steps in this respect to be taken at the UNESCO General Conference next October. While Geoparks have been mainly developed in Europe and in some countries in Eastern Asia, notably China, there is keen interest to enhance development and support for Geoparks in many other regions of the world. In this respect, UNESCO sincerely welcomes the efforts of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Geopark development, to promote awareness of geological hazards for disaster mitigation strategies, educate on current climate change, as well as to adopt best practices for sustainable use of natural resources. Geoparks provide an innovative concept, that at the same time promotes respect for the environment and the integrity of activities in the landscape, while recognizing the potential of the Earth and its people. Today's Conference is a first concrete step in the direction of Geopark development in the Central Asian Region and I am optimistic that we will have an enriching cooperation in the years to come.
Many thanks.