10th anniversary of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme: a decade of the Global Geoparks

Attending the ceremony were Ms Lidia Arthur Brito, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, H.E. Amb. Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the 42^nd session of the General Conference, members of the Global Geoparks Network, and presentatives of UNESCO Global Geoparks.

The important anniversary was celebrated through a full programme, including interactive discussions between Member State representatives, UNESCO Global Geoparks, and programme partners. The panels covered the following topics: Geodiversity for Sustainable Development, Local to global – The impact of UNESCO Global Geoparks, Extending the network and strengthening UNESCO Global Geoparks.

Earlier, on March 4^th, 2025, the Global Geoparks Network Excecutive Board held a meeting to dicuss and adopt strategic planning, operation and activities in the period of 2025-2030, the activitty plan 2025 of the GGN, and the framework for the activities planned by the SDGs Working Group for 2025.

In 2015, UNESCO Member States ratified the creation of UNESCO Global Geoparks to regconize territories of exceptional geological significance- “living laboratories” - in the sense that they showcase some of Earth’s most phenomenal geological processes happening in real time, as well as to recognize the unique role that local people, cultures and communities play at the heart of these sites. Until now, UNESCO Global Geoparks has become the fastest growing UNESCO site designation programme, promoting a unique model of cornserving the Earth heritage towards sustainable development.