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Report on the 16th European Geoparks Conference
16thEuropean Geoparks Conference
Nature, Culture and Sustainability in the Context of Climate and Environmental Change
With the 16th European Geoparks Conference held in the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK (Piedmont Region, Italy) from 26 to 30 September 2022, the European Geoparks Network once again came together for an in-person event. And it did so in a region such as Piedmont, which is a major tourist attraction thanks to its cultural and natural heritage.
A very well-attended conference, as evidenced by the high number of participants, it was also a public event held in a Geopark that exemplifies a sustainable relationship between nature and culture. Through the conference, the Sesia Val Grande Geopark offered a natural and cultural overview of some of the most attractive tourist areas in the Western Alps, from the Monte Rosa massif to Lake Maggiore. Conference participants were able to appreciate its geodiversity: a 500-million-year history of geomorphological landscape features and rock sequences that record the processes that formed the Alps and deformed the Earth’s crust. The Geopark’s landscapes also reveal a record of past and present climate change and its effects, from the ice ages to global warming. The conference demonstrated that the geological heritage of the Sesia Val Grande is of great scientific, economic and social significance. The Geopark’s motto, ‘Where stone becomes culture’, recognises the importance of local rocks in the Italian cultural landscape and architecture, such as Milan Cathedral. Furthermore, the local Walser culture, that of the Alpine peoples, evokes memories of the Little Ice Age (1450–1850) and demonstrates a proactive approach to climate change, giving the Geopark a sustainable outlook for increased tourism, public engagement and environmental education activities. These broad and complex themes highlight the holistic approach required to address climate change, in which geoparks can play a key role. This was clearly demonstrated during the Conference through the sharing of experiences, best practices and strategies. These themes were discussed by 403 participants from 44 countries and representatives of 94 different UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGps).
Given its great scientific, economic and social significance, the Sesia Val Grande Geopark Association, together with the Sesia Val Grande National Park and thethe Valsesian Protected Areas Management Authority, and under the scientific supervision of the University of Turin, has organised the 16th European Geoparks Conference (EGN 2022), with the overarching themes of ‘Nature, Culture and Sustainability in the Context of Climate and Environmental Change’.
The honour and opportunity to host the 16th EGN Conference has also enabled the Geopark to carry out initiatives aimed at conserving and raising awareness of its geological heritage and the human and cultural values of its territory. In response to the EGN2022 Conference, the Sesia Val Grande Geopark has enhanced its visibility and access to Alpine nature and culture by installing new directional signs and infographics for the Geopark at various sites within the most attractive tourist area of the Western Alps, from the Monte Rosa massif to Lake Maggiore.
The Conference’s public engagement spaces included two special exhibition areas: 400 square metres of indoor space at Villa Simonetta, Verbania, and 450 square metres of outdoor space at the Rectorate of the University of Turin. This facilitated the organisation of Geofair (an exhibition involving 17 geoparks), the Geoscience Exhibit ‘Celebrating Geodiversity, Enhancing Geoheritage, Promoting Geotourism’ and two art installations, which were enjoyed by 1,600 external visitors.
