Azores for the first time at the meeting of European Geoparks Network

The Azores Geopark attended, for the first time, the Meeting of the Coordinating Committee of the European Geoparks Network (REG). The event was held on Tuesday at the Cilento and Vallo di Diano Geopark in Ascea, Italy.

One should recall the Azores Geopark joined the European Geoparks Network by unanimous decision of the Coordination Committee of the European Geoparks Network, taken at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on March 21.

During the meeting taking place in Ascea, the Azores Geopark, represented by the Regional Director for Tourism, will receive the respective certificate; the document certifies its quality as European and global Geopark under the auspices of UNESCO.

The delegation of the Azores Geopark in Italy will also take part in the works of 12th European Geoparks Conference that takes place at the Cilento and Vallo di Diano Geopark from today until Friday.

Five papers on the Azores Geopark will be presented during this scientific meeting. They will address educational programmes, the school contest "A Água que nos Une" (The Water that Unites Us), the assessment of Azorean geosites, geoconservation and planning policies, and geotourism in the Azores.

The Azores Geopark comprises 121 geosites spread across the nine islands that highlight the volcanic geodiversity of the archipelago, with the inclusion of places such as craters, lava fields, caves, "fajãs" (geological features), crater lakes or volcanic ridges; they represent a geological memory that goes back 10 million years ago.

Among these geosites, 57 were awarded priority status: ten on São Miguel, eight on Pico, seven on Terceira, six on Faial, six on Flores, five on Santa Maria, five on Graciosa, five on São Jorge, three on Corvo and two marine geosites.

For the Regional Director for Tourism, João Bettencourt, the classification of the Azores Geopark as global and European Geopark, sponsored by UNESCO, "is a challenge and an important opportunity for the Autonomous Region of the Azores in terms of the acknowledgement of its geological heritage, promotion of earth science education and development of geotourism."

João Bettencourt also stressed the commitment of the Government "to the goals set for the next four years" and recognised "the positive impact of the inclusion of the Azores Geopark in the European Geopark Network on the development of new tourism activities in this area."