From October 29 to November 1, the 2026 Annual Conference of Chinese UNESCO Global Geoparks, together with the Seminar on High‑quality Development of Global Geoparks during the 15th Five‑Year Plan Period, was held in Xingwen County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province. Under the theme of “Mutual Learning, Hand‑in‑Hand for New Progress”, the event gathered more than 240 participants, including representatives from national UNESCO Global Geoparks, promising geopark sites and research experts. Attendees discussed geological heritage conservation, scientific research and public science education, integration of geology and cultural tourism, community‑based development and sustainable growth. The 2026 Xingwen Consensus for Chinese UNESCO Global Geoparks was released at the meeting, outlining seven priority directions: geoheritage protection, research‑driven empowerment, science popularization and study-tour programs, green development for shared prosperity, intangible heritage inheritance, digital transformation and international exchange, setting clear guidelines for future construction of geoparks across China.

Two representatives from Tianzhushan UNESCO Global Geopark took part in the conference. The delegation fully engaged in opening ceremonies, keynote speeches, thematic panel discussions, experience‑sharing sessions and field investigations. They studied proven practices from leading domestic geoparks covering refined conservation of geological sites, smart geopark construction, building science education brands, upgrading geotourism, preparation for revalidation, and collaborative development with local communities. They also learned about official arrangements for annual assessment, routine management, risk prevention and international cooperation issued by the National Geopark Network Center.

During networking sessions, the Tianzhushan delegation held in‑depth exchanges with counterparts from many other Chinese UNESCO Global Geoparks. Key topics included conservation of ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic belt geological relics, management of paleontological fossil resources, development of study‑tour products, building of digital management platforms, and sister‑park partnerships. The team showcased Tianzhushan’s unique geological endowments, research achievements and science popularization brands. Meanwhile, they shared local practical experience in geoheritage preservation, geoscience outreach and green-driven local prosperity, while drawing on innovative approaches from peer geoparks.

This conference offered a valuable opportunity for Tianzhushan Geopark to benchmark against leading industry practices and address existing weaknesses. Going forward, Tianzhushan UGGp will implement requirements set out by the annual conference and the Xingwen Consensus. Lessons learned from the event will be translated into concrete operational measures. Building on its distinctive UHP metamorphic belt resources, Tianzhushan will advance scientific monitoring, innovative science communication, geosite protection and integrated geo‑cultural‑tourism development. It will strengthen governance capacity as a UNESCO Global Geopark, raise its standardized management level, better tell Tianzhushan’s geoscience stories, and foster deep integration of geological heritage conservation with local ecology, tourism and community progress to advance the geopark’s high‑quality and sustainable development.