Strengthening Cooperation inside Asia - Pacific Geoparks Network

The third Asia - Pacific Geoparks Network Symposium took place in Jeju Island, South Korea from September 9 to 11, 2013. This symposium’s major contents are management, communication and networking among geoparks; education and geotourism for sustainable development; conservation and interpretation of geoheritages; community involvement and economic development in geoparks; and new and aspiring geoparks. The symposium also delves into special issues of Jeju Island Geopark and innovation within the Asia - Pacific Geoparks Network (APGN).

 

Following the successful attendance to the fifth International Global Geopark Conference in Unzen, Japan, in May 2012, the delegation of Ha Giang province carefully prepared programmes and contents for attendance to the symposium in South Korea. Particularly, 2013 is an important year for the Global Network of National Geoparks to reassess Ha Giang province's Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark in 2014. Ha Giang province attended the conference to seek advice from GGN experts on action plans for management, construction, conservation and promotion of its geoheritage values and to prepare documents and procedures for the re-evaluation of Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark as a member of Global Geoparks Network in 2014.

 

The delegation comprised leaders of Ha Giang province, managers of the Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark, and specialists. The delegation presented scientific research on the construction and development of Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark, with the focus on conservation and development of tourism. Documents are displayed in Vietnamese, Korean and English to provide all participants a better view on the geopark. On the sidelines of the symposium, the mission expanded relationships and ties with other GGN geoparks with similar construction and development conditions as Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark, like those in Malaysia, China or the Philippines, to exchange and acquire experience in management, protection, communication, popularisation and promotion of geoheritage and cultural values, and to fulfil GGN criteria in construction and development of Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark in the future.