UNESCO experts met with Cao Bang Provincial People’s Committee on their revalidation mission in Cao Bang

Attending the meeting were Mr Le Hai Hoa, Vice Chairman of Cao Bang PPC, representative leaders of Departments and Branches and Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark Management Board. 
At the meeting, the participants listened to a general report on the development of Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark and the results of the implementation of 6 recommendations since the evaluation mission in 2017; Report on the development of Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark associated with sustainable development. 
Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark has been recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2018 with a total area of ​​3,683 km2. Cao Bang province has strictly followed UNESCO goals and criteria and evaluation recommendations in implementing sustainable socio-economic development associated with environmental protection, rational use of resources and preserving and promoting local identity, optimizing the province’s strengths and potential in the tourism sector to attract national and international tourists.

Since the recognition of a UNESCO Global Geopark, over the past 4 years, Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark has basically constructed an infrastructure system on 3 experience tourist routes and has been carrying out activities and programs on people awareness raising, conservation and promotion of landscapes and heritage of all types, local livelihood improvement, especially, activities on geo-education in schools, tourism linkage and international networking, etc, which have contributed to improving the role and status of Non nuoc Cao Bang in nationwide and globally. The province strictly follows the 6 recommendations of UNESCO experts for Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark in the evaluation mission in 2017.
At the meeting, Mr Artur Sa, Senior evaluator expressed his gratitude to the warm welcome of Cao Bang province and highly appreciated the province’s adequate preparations for the revalidation mission. The UNESCO evaluators assessed that Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark is currently a dynamic territory where many activities still have been implemented despite the restriction of COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluators particularly valued local livelihood improving activities and the “Geopark ambassador club” model in implementing geo-education in schools.  The evaluators hoped that their recommendations after the field mission would positively contribute to the further sustainable development of the geopark.
Speaking at the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Hai Hoa hoped that the UNESCO evaluators would continue to support Cao Bang province in the development of the geopark. Based on the achievements over the past 4 years and the preparations of the province with the desire to retain the status of a UNESCO Geopark, the Vice Chairman suggested that after the field mission, the UNESCO evaluators offer Cao Bang some recommendations and advice on developing the geopark, benefiting local communities, job creation and Geopark promotion. He also affirmed that in addition to UNESCO criteria and recommendations, Cao bang province has been following other policies and mechanisms to ensure the better implementation of UNESCO recommendations for Cao Bang Geopark in the future.

According to the schedule, from August 14-17, the revalidation delegation conducts a field survey on the 3 experience routes of the Geopark respectively: the East route- “Experiences the indigenous culture of "Wonderland" (in Quang Hoa and Trung Khanh districts); North route - “Experience History and Freedom” (Hoa An and Ha Quang districts); and the West route - “Experience Phja Oac- The mountain of transformation” (Nguyen Binh district).