Work is underway to include unique geological sites of Turkmenistan in the UNESCO Global Network

A regular meeting of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was held in Ashgabat by order of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

One of the main items on the agenda was the report on the ongoing work to establish geoparks that include natural and cultural sites, as well as landscapes of international geological significance, within the framework of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Programme. The goal of the programme is to create a global network of territories that, in line with the characteristics of local development, utilize and promote geological heritage.

As noted, the creation of such a site in Turkmenistan would be an important step towards preserving the nation’s natural heritage and developing ecotourism. In this regard, prospects for establishing a geopark in the country, which could be included in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, were discussed.

In this context, unique geological sites of Turkmenistan were highlighted. Particularly noteworthy are the canyons on the southeastern shore of the Garabogaz Bay and the mud volcanoes, which are rightly considered geological heritage of international significance.