Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp hosted the Annual Meeting of the Sub-committee for the Vietnamese UNESCO Global Geoparks 2022

There were senior advisor, UNESCO Global Gepark Council Chair, Guy Martini, Vietnam NatCom General Secretary cum DireDector General of the Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO, Head of the Vietnam Institution of Geosciences and Mineral Resources cum Head of the Sub-committee for Vietnam UNESCO global geoparks Trinh Hai Son, leaders and member staffs of UGGps: Non nuoc Cao Bang, Dong Van Karst Plateau and Dak Nong and Lang Son Geopark.
Within the framework of the Annual Meeting, a field visiting trip to 03 experience routes in Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp was conducted from May 23^rd to May 25^th and the Capacity building workshop for Vietnam Geopark Network on May 26^th.

The Meeting reviewed and evaluated the technical activities of the Sub-committee for the Vietnamese UNESCO Global Geoparks in 2021, the beginning of 2022, and the Activity Plan in 2023. Up to present, Vietnam has 03 UNESCO Global Geoparks including Dong Van Karst Plateau (designated in 2010), Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp (2018) and Dak Nong UGGp (2020). During the past time, the members of the Vietnam Geopark Network (VGN) actively carried out a number of significant activities, which resulted in certain achievements and implemented flexible adaptations in the new context such as celebrating and participating in different activities of the UGGps in the region and the globe, enhancing the geopark education, communication and promotion, etc. In the upcoming time, the Sub-committee for the Vietnamese UNESCO Global Geoparks will continue to: submit some proposals on supporting the development of geopark in localities to the Sub-committee for Natural Science (Ministry of Science and Technology), support Vietnamese geoparks in accordance with the support of the international experts, in collaboration with international experts and domestic research institutes support the UGGp revalidation missions in Vietnam, develop tourism app. in the UGGps to provide visitors with information related to geosites in the UGGp areas, cooperate with Dak Nong UGGp to host the 20t^h International Symposium on Vulcanospeology, participate in the events, workshops, conferences organized by VGN, APGN and GGN, etc. 

At the Meeting, the representatives of geopark Management Boards shared the difficulties and challenges in the management and development of geopark in localities: inadequacies between conservation and socio-economic development demands, impacts of fast tourism development on the preservation of geoheritage, landscapes, traditional cultures and architectures; unequal benefits sharing, etc in Dong Van Karst Plateau UGGp, inadequacies in the management structure of the Dak Nong UGGp Management Board, the lack of a proper policy on the exploitation of the cave system for tourism development; the lack of human resources, especially geologist, strengthening the role of communities in the sustainable community-based tourism development in Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp, etc. The Lang Son geopark shared current focused tasks/projects and some activities implemented since the establishment of the geopark.

Also at the Meeting took place the signing memorandum of the cooperation agreement between Dong Van Karst Plateau UGGp, Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp and Lang Son geopark. The agreement focuses on technical materials sharing; cooperation in communication and promotion, planning and implementing joint projects/programs; cooperation in hosting and participating in promotional activities/events to promote geotourism products in provinces and localities in Vietnam and oversea; communicating each other at geopark information centers or visitor centers, stopovers or events of the 3 geoparks; Dong Van Karst Plateau and Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGps support and share with Lang Son geopark their experience in generating UGGp application dossiers and technical activities to be recognized as an UGGp.

At the end of the Meeting, the Annual Meeting flag was handed over to Lang Son geopark. Accordingly, the Annual Meeting of the Sub-Committee for the Vietnamese UNESCO Global Geoparks 2023 will be held in Lang Son geopark.