"Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark with the goal of sustainable development" Workshop

Chaired by Dak Nong provincial leaders and international experts, the workshop discussed in depth the role of Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark in nature conservation, sustainable tourism development and improving the quality of community life. The presentations proposed new initiatives to connect natural resource conservation and local economic development, while expanding educational and research cooperation to raise public awareness of geological heritage protection.

In her opening speech, Ms. Ton Thi Ngoc Hanh, Vice Chairman of Dak Nong Provincial People's Committee affirmed: "The presence of delegates today is a testament to the sense of responsibility, commitment and joint efforts towards sustainable values, not only for Dak Nong province but also for the whole country and the international community." In the context of globalization and climate change, the UNESCO Global Geopark model is a typical model to realize sustainable development goals, connecting natural heritage conservation, sustainable tourism development and improving the quality of community life. He emphasized the importance of initiatives and solutions from the workshop in building the UNESCO Dak Nong Global Geopark into a typical model of balancing conservation and sustainable development.

The workshop set three main objectives: Discuss the relationship between Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark and sustainable development goals; Propose initiatives to promote sustainable tourism, conserve natural resources and protect unique cultural values; Expand cooperation with educational and research institutions to exploit the potential of the Geopark as an outdoor classroom, serve education and raise conservation awareness.
Opening the workshop program, M.Sc. Do Thi Yen Ngoc - Director of the Center for Karst and Geoheritage, Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources presented a speech with the topic: "UNESCO Global Geoparks with Sustainable Development Goals". The speech emphasized the important role of UNESCO Global Geoparks in preserving geological, cultural and biodiversity heritage, while promoting sustainable development and focusing on clarifying the connection between geoparks and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, especially in areas such as community education, disaster risk reduction, climate change response and sustainable economic development.

MSc. Do Thi Yen Ngoc affirmed that global geoparks are not only symbols of conservation but also a driving force for localities to develop comprehensively, balancing nature and people, thereby actively contributing to the implementation of international commitments and enhancing Vietnam's position in the global heritage network.

In her closing speech at the workshop, Ms. Ton Thi Ngoc Hanh, Vice Chairman of Dak Nong Provincial People's Committee, emphasized: "Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark is not only a valuable geological heritage but also a model of socio-economic development associated with nature and cultural conservation and enhancing community awareness." The workshop was organized to study and discuss the role of the Geopark in realizing the 2030 Agenda. Thereby, contributing to the successful implementation of sustainable development goals, biodiversity conservation, climate change response, sustainable tourism development and improving livelihoods for people in the Geopark area.