International Commitment to Geoheritage Conservation:

“KGA Korea Declaration” Announced

 - Korea Heritage Service to Host International Symposium on the “Future of K-Geoheritage” Ahead of the 48th Session of the World Heritage Committee (May 27, BEXCO, Busan) -

The Korea Heritage Service (KHS; Administrator: Huh Min) will host the international symposium titled “K-Geoheritage: Current Status and Future Perspectives” on May 27 at 10:00 a.m. at BEXCO in Busan, in order to establish strategic directions for the conservation programme of Key Geoheritage Areas (KGA).

KGA refers to areas possessing significant geological and geomorphological features—including rocks, minerals, fossils, sediments, soils, landforms, and landscapes—that hold important international value for understanding Earth’s history and the evolution of life. In October last year, at the IUCN World Conservation Congress held in Abu Dhabi, the KHS and an international group of geological experts led discussions on institutionalizing the KGA initiative to systematically identify, conserve, and manage important geoheritage sites around the world. The proposal was subsequently adopted as an official agenda item, laying the international foundation for the full-scale advancement of the KGA system.

Taking place approximately 50 days ahead of the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, this international symposium will bring together approximately 150 experts from international organizations and academia, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the IUCN WCPA Geoheritage Specialist Group (WCPA GSG), the International Association for the Conservation of Geological Heritage (ProGEO), and the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) and International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). The symposium will serve as the first international forum to discuss in detail the establishment of a global platform for managing potential KGA resources worldwide and the key elements required for the implementation of a full-scale KGA conservation programme.

In particular, the symposium will feature the announcement of the “KGA Korea Declaration,” which embodies a new international commitment to geodiversity and geoheritage conservation.

The declaration reaffirms that geoheritage, preserving the history of the Earth and the traces of the evolution of life, constitutes a shared heritage of humankind and must be conserved for future generations. It further emphasizes that geoheritage conservation amid the climate crisis is a shared responsibility of the international community, while outlining the roles of national governments and the KHS in strengthening international standards for geoheritage conservation and promoting the effective implementation and expansion of the KGA programme.
The announcement of the Declaration is expected to provide an opportunity to comprehensively review the current status of conservation and management of K-Geoheritage alongside global trends, while also establishing a mid- to long-term policy foundation for the KGA initiative and enhancing the value of geoheritage.

The symposium programme will consist of thirteen presentations and in-depth discussions among internationally renowned scholars and experts. Topics will include global geoheritage conservation and the justification for KGA (Kyung Sik Woo, Chair of the WCPA GSG); KGA and UNESCO designations (Sophie Justice, Director of Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark); IUCN programmes and KGA (Robbert Casier, World Heritage Programme Development Officer, IUCN); geoconservation at the IUCN (Manu Monge-Ganuzas, Vice President, ProGEO); the IUCN KGA initiative and its main guidelines and procedures (José Brilha, Former President, ProGEO); UNESCO Global Geoparks as a global network for conserving and managing geological heritage (Ilias Valiakos, Coordinator of the European Geoparks Network); the history of planet Earth and the evolution of life (Kevin Page, President, ProGEO, and Editor-in-Chief, Geoheritage); tectonic systems (Maria da Gloria-Garcia, Professor, University of São Paulo); erosional systems (Piotr Migoń, Professor, University of Wrocław); volcanic systems (Dan Tormey, UNESCO World Heritage Evaluator); soils as geoheritage (Melinda McHenry, UNESCO World Heritage Expert); KGA’s next steps (José Brilha); and potential KGAs in Korea (Kyung Sik Woo). Following the presentations, panel discussions will be held with participating experts and speakers from each field.

In particular, Huh Min, Administrator of the KHS and an internationally recognized geologist, will serve as chair of the symposium and lead discussions throughout the event, demonstrating the Republic of Korea’s international leadership in geoheritage conservation.

The symposium will be open to the public through advance registration via the QR code on promotional materials or on-site registration on the day of the event. The symposium will also be livestreamed through KTV and the official YouTube channel of the KHS. For further information, please contact +82-42-610-7662.

Through this symposium, the KHS aims to strengthen the foundation for the successful implementation of the KGA initiative and to lead the sustainable conservation of global geoheritage that records the 4.6-billion-year history of the Earth.

Photos from the symposium venue will be uploaded after 1:00 p.m. on May 27 (Wed.) to the KHS Webhard site (www.webhard.co.kr)
ID: ocphongbo / PW: 4675 (Press Release folder)


Attachments: 1. Programme Schedule;
2. Full Text of the KGA Korea Declaration;
3. Promotional Materials.