Tempo.coPresent Jakarta -UNESCO officially recognized North Riad and Salma Geopark in Saudi Arabia as part of the UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGG) network. These two geological parks belong to the 16 newly opened Geoparks in Paris, France, during the 221st Executive Board Meeting of UNESCO from April 2 to 17, 2025. With these additions, the total number of UGG locations in 50 countries has reached 50 countries.
North Riad Geopark offers visitors Coral Reef Fossils over 150 million years. In addition, geological transformations can be found in limestone caves and mountains.
In the meantime, Salma Geopark in Hagel presents a dramatic natural landscape of rare volcanic formations, including Calderas, Lava fields and volcanic crater. The mountain has had geological activities for millions of years. The geopark has several sights such as Harrat Hutayymah Crater, Taba Heritage Village, Mount Salma, Faid Reservoir, Darb Zubaidah, Faid Museum, Maar Crater Formations and Abu Alda'a Nature Reserve.
Hussam Al-Turki, director of the Saudi Geoparks initiative, explained that this service matches the Saudi Vision 2030 strategy in order to position the country as the world as a global leadership in ecological sustainability.
“From the beginning we strived that these geoparks are more than geological sites – they are living platforms that tell the stories of the earth, testify to the course of time and reflect the rich natural diversity that we own.” Telled Al-Turki Arab news.
Geological heritage
In addition to Saudi Arabia, the newly designated Ugg locations include areas in China, North Korea, Ecuador, Indonesia, Italy, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Great Britain and Vietnam.
The General Director of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, said that the UNESCO geoparks had become a model for preserving the geological inheritance in 10 years. “BTheir role goes much further: they support educational projects, promote sustainable tourism and retain the knowledge and traditions of these areas through the active participation of local and indigenous communities in life“, Said Azoulay, as reported by Travel and leisure.
What is UGG?
The UNESCO Global Geoparks Network is a carefully selected, exclusive club. The selected areas must meet criteria for the protection of natural landscapes and at the same time promote education, science and sustainable development. The project includes the commitment of the local community and emphasizes environmental protection. It also expands the opportunities for research and tourism.
This year UGG celebrates its 10th anniversary. Every year, the UNESCO board checks applications from the Global Geoparks Council, a committee for international experts who examine the authorization of a location for registration.
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