On
December 7, the 2022 Annual Conference of China's UNESCO Global Geoparks opened
in Xiangxi, Hunan Province. The annual meeting was guided by the Department of
Nature Reserves of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, the
Forestry Bureau of Hunan Province and the People's Government of Xiangxi Autonomous
Prefecture, and co-organized by the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, the
National Geoparks Network Centre, the Global Geoparks Network Office and Xiangxi
UGGp, with the annual meeting being held for the first time in an online +
offline form.
Tianzhushan
UGGp, together with 41 Global Geoparks and 6 candidates, representatives from
forestry and grassland departments of relevant provinces (autonomous regions
and municipalities directly under the Central Government) gathered online to make
discussions, share their experiences and work together for the sustainable
development of the Global Geoparks. Ms. Yuan Xiaohong, second-level inspector
of the Department of Nature Reserve Management of the State Forestry and
Grassland Administration, Ms. Wang Min, deputy director of the Geoheritage
Research Office of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, on behalf of Mr.
Ma Yan, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, and Mr. Jin
Xiaochi, vice chairman of the Executive Board of GGN, delivered online speeches.
Mr. Zhang Jianping, a member of the Executive Board of GGN and a professor from
China University of Geosciences, and Mr. Zhang Zhiguang, a senior engineer from
the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences and an field evaluator of GGN, gave
keynote reports online. The heads of nine Geoparks including Xiangxi and Danxiashan
also made reports.
At the
annual meeting, Tianzhushan UGGp studied online the key points of evaluation
and revalidation work of UNESCO Global Geoparks, learnt the situation in recent
years, and learned advanced management and construction experience shared by geoparks.
At the
closing ceremony, Mr. Ma Yan, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of
Geological Sciences, announced that Yimengshan UGGp be the host of the 2023 Annual
Conference of China's UNESCO Global Geoparks, and Mr. Long Xiaohua, Governor of
Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture, handed over the flag to Yimengshan UGGp.