From April 7 to 10, 2025, the 56th Earth Day "Friendly Sister Geoparks Collaboration" and the 6th Asia-Pacific Geoparks Week event were successfully held in the Yimeng Mountain UNESCO Global Geopark, under the theme "Heritage • Innovation • Symbiosis—Building a Sustainable Future for Global Geoparks." The Alxa Desert UNESCO Global Geopark sent representatives to participate. During the event, Professor Zhang Jianping and Professor Jin Xiaochi delivered keynote speeches. Representatives from the Zigong UNESCO Global Geopark, Dabie Mountain UNESCO Global Geopark, Yimeng Mountain UNESCO Global Geopark, and their partners—Linyi Culture and Tourism Group, Jinkui Agriculture, and Mengtian Beekeeping—shared their experiences.
In the special report session, UNESCO Global Geopark evaluators Zhang Yuanhai, Sarina, and Zhang Chenggong provided in-depth presentations. The experts, adopting a global perspective, systematically explained the latest revised UNESCO Global Geopark evaluation indicators. They emphasized that the updated standards place greater importance on the practical contributions of geoparks to regional sustainable development, requiring each geopark to achieve a balance between conservation priorities and socio-economic benefits.
Sarina, a UNESCO Global Geopark evaluator, represented the Alxa Desert UNESCO Global Geopark by sharing her field evaluation experiences. She highlighted the successful practices of a Korean Geopark(Hantangang) during its re-evaluation, particularly its advanced approaches to science popularization and education. Her insights provided valuable references for other geoparks preparing for re-evaluation.
During the Asia-Pacific Geoparks Week, the Alxa Desert UNESCO Global Geopark stood out with its distinctive desert features and solid achievements, showcasing the unique "Alxa Charm" among the participating geoparks. Moving forward, the Alxa Desert UNESCO Global Geopark will leverage the outcomes of this event to further enhance its reputation as "the world's only desert-themed global geopark" in preparation for its 2025 re-evaluation, ensuring this remarkable desert shines even brighter in the Global Geoparks Network.
