The meeting of the Steering committee for the development of geopark of Cao Bang in 2019

In 2018, the Steering committee made lots of progress in the development of the geopark. The Committee cooperated with central agencies, especially Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Natural resources, and NATCOM in implementing the recommendations of UNESCO regarding the preservation of heritage sites in the geopark, community education on geopark, and networking. The Steering committee actively directed departments and districts in the geopark to implement the activities concerning the development of the geopark.

Till now, most of activities regarding the 6 Recommendations of UNESCO have been carried out. For the community education: in 208, the Steering committee directed Department of Culture, sports and tourism to cooperate with Department of Education and Training, and related departments to implement the geopark education activity in schools. Till the end of 2018, about 80% of the shools in the geopark carried out the education and communitcation activities on school for their students. A training document was developed and used for the teaching of geopark education activities in school, and teachers from school were trained on the use of this material as well. The Management board of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp cooperated with districts in the geopark area carried out training for more than 1000 turns of local officiers and community members, and tourists service providers in the geopark. Completed the accesss route to the Moutain Agel eye site, contructed the embankment to protect the Amonite fossil site in Keo Yen (Ha Quang) and the access route to King Le temple, Hoang Tung (Hoa An), upgraded the information panel system with UNESCO logo as wel as the direction panel for tourists. In 2018, the Steering committee also consulted the province to organize the UNESCO global geopark inscription receiving ceremony, which was participated by H.E Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and representative leaders of Ministries and central angencies.

The networking activities among UNESCO global geopark network were carried out actively in 2018. One of the most outstanding activities was the sistership establishment between Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp and Haunte Provence, France. In 2018, the Steering committee also organized a delegation to participate at the GGN Conference in Italy in which Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark contributed 2 presentations and chaired one thematic session, and 01 booth at the geofair.

At the meeting, participants actively discussed about the Activity plan in 2019 and the Plan for the development of Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark from 2019-2022; the Plan to organize the International conferen on “Sustainable tourism development through UNESCO global geopark”

The Steering committee instructed departments and districts in the geopark area continue to carry out tasks related to the development of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp, especially the implementation of recommendation of UNESCO on community awarenss raising and geopark education in school, the Instructive No14/CT-UBND dated July 20^th 2017 on the protection of geological, cultural heritages, natural landscapes, and environment in the geopark territory; participation in the networking activities of UNESCO.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Hoang Xuan Anh- Chairman of People’s committee of Cao Bang province, Chairman of the Steering committee for the development of Non nuoc Cao Bang goepark applaused efforts of departments and districts in 2018, and requested departments and districts in the geopark territory cooperate with each other to carry out the tasks on geopark development in the Activity plan 2019; Department of Cultures, sports and tourism needs to develop the Action plan for each year and the budget estimation for the implementation. He agreed with the proposal to open one more experience route in the geopark. It is necessary to strengthen the geopark education in community and schools. He also requested the departments and districts to have a careful preparation for the organization of the International conference on “sustainable tourism development” which was schedule din May 2019 in Cao Bang.