The I International Geotourism forum ended in Shakhrisabz, following which UNESCO expressed its readiness to support the initiative of Uzbekistan to create the first Geological Park in the country and throughout the CIS, and also proposed to hold a joint conference on this topic next year. 

This was stated by Kristina Tovmasyan, Programme Specialist for Natural Sciences at UNESCO Almaty Office, at a briefing on the Kitab State Geological Reserve, the territory of which is planned to be transformed into a modern Geological Park. For the first time since independence, the Kitab reserve has been opened for tourists. 

“I would like to note that this forum is an incentive and will serve as an impetus for continuing discussions on the development of geotourism. I also see great interest in the development of the geopark here. Upon completion of this event, I would like to say that UNESCO is ready to support the initiative of Uzbekistan to create a geopark,” Tovmasyan told the forum participants.

“Over the course of three days, the forum participants said a lot about geoparks and geotourism. But I see a lot of questions here, and we have not received answers to some of them. Naturally, it is worth paying attention that in the CIS countries there is no global network of UNESCO geoparks. Therefore, on our part, there is a proposal – in cooperation with Uzbekistan, to hold a conference on geoparks next year,” the UNESCO representative concluded. 

At the end of the event, the forum participants signed a protocol on measures to establish mutual cooperation in the field of ecological and geological tourism, exchange of experience, creation of a new tourist products and enrichment of existing programs. 

It should be recalled that the State Committee for Tourism together with the State Committee for Ecology plan to open for tourists a unique natural holiday destination in the Kitab State Geological Reserve.