RIYADH: The 10th edition of the International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks begins on Thursday in Marrakesh, gathering 1,800 international experts, government officials, and researchers from 50 countries.
The international event began on Monday with the UNESCO Global Geopark Council meeting, which takes place over two days.
The conference aims to focus on strengthening the conservation of natural and cultural resources with global significance.
The five-day event features 600 scientific seminars on topics such as sustainable management of geological sites, environmental education, responsible tourism, local economic development, climate change and its negative impacts, desertification, and natural disasters.
Other items on the agenda include an international exhibition on UNESCO global geoparks and a field trip to Morocco’s M’Goun Geopark, which has geological formations dating back to the Triassic Period.
Some 14 partnership and twinning agreements between geoparks from different countries will be signed.
The council meeting will review 17 new applications from prospective geoparks, four deferred applications, 34 requests to revalidate existing geoparks, and three proposals for zone modifications within existing geoparks.
