TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Maros Pangkep Geopark in South Sulawesi is officially named the UNESCO Global Geopark during the 216th UNESCO Executive Council Session in Paris, France last year.

“Alhamdulillah, Maros Pangkep is officially recognized by UNESCO at the 216th UNESCO Executive Council meeting in Paris,” said South Sulawesi Governor Andi Sudirman Sulaiman, on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

Andi said this thanks to the hard work and collaboration of the provincial government, the geopark management agency, and all interested parties. “Let's protect and make it a special tourism attraction in South Sulawesi,” he said.

According to him, the initiation to include Maros Pangkep Geopark in the Global Geoparks Network along with 17 other geoparks began in 2015. In 2018, it was only declared a member of the national geopark.

Dedy Irfan Bachri, the General Manager of the Maros Pangkep Geopark Management Agency, said the status serves as a protection for the area as a world heritage. “This area has special characteristics in terms of geodiversity, biodiversity or flora and fauna, and cultural wealth,” he explained.

Stakeholders are thus encouraged to synergize, promoting the tourism area, geoheritage conservation practices, geoscience education, environmental awareness, cultural heritage preservation, and sustainable development of the Maros Pangkep Geopark. “This is, of course, the pride for South Sulawesi as this is recognized by the world and is promoted internationally,” Dedy said.

ANTARA

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