Event

Capacity-building workshop on UNESCO Global Geoparks in Africa

This is the first in-person capacity-building workshop on UNESCO Global Geoparks in Africa, being held in the Baringo Rift Valley aspiring geopark. The workshop will serve to promote the UNESCO Global Geoparks concept as a tool for sustainable development in Africa.

13 December 2022 - 15 December 2022

Event

The first capacity-building workshop on UNESCO Global Geoparks in Africa

13 December 2022 - 8:00 am - 15 December 2022 - 6:00 pm

Location

Kabarnet, Kenya

Rooms :

Kabarnet, Kenya

Type :

Cat VII – Seminar and training

Arrangement type :

In-Person

Although the UNESCO Global Geoparks label is UNESCO’s most recent site designation, dating only from 2015, the network already covers a surface area of 370,662 km², comparable to the size of Japan. However, there are currently only two in Africa, the Ngorongoro Lengai UNESCO Global Geopark in Tanzania and the M’Goun UNESCO Global Geopark in Morocco. This three-day workshop combines lectures, case studies and a field visit, which aims to aid participants with knowledge on how to further designate sites in Africa.

Workshop agenda

UNESCO Global Geoparks must be single, unified geographical areas that comprise several geological sites of international value. These sites offer an extraordinary geological diversity, while also underpinning the region’s biological and cultural diversity. Geoparks serve local communities by combining the conservation of their unique geological heritage with outreach to the public and sustainable development. They promote an understanding of key issues, such as the need to use mineral resources sustainably and the impact of natural hazards and climate change, as well as the empowerment of indigenous peoples.