Creation of a UNESCO Geopark in Vayots Dzor Region

The Ministry of Environment is engaging in discussions with the UNESCO Secretariat regarding new cooperation programs in the context of priority issues and strategic objectives in environmental protection, as well as the expansion of current reforms. This information has been provided by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia.

Within the framework of the UNESCO Participation Program for 2020-2021, the Ministry of Environment has submitted a proposal to the UNESCO Secretariat for "Effective Management of Geological Landscapes and Natural Monuments in Vayots Dzor Region for the Conservation of Geological Diversity and Sustainable Development of Cultural-Landscape Heritage."

The program proposal encompasses the implementation of several actions, including:

• Updating the list of geological, hydro-geological, and natural monuments,
• Precise localization of the monuments,
• Preparation of educational and informational packages regarding the monuments,
• Connecting natural monuments with regional geological and tectonic-structural phenomena,
• Organizing seminars and informational visits for local self-government bodies, affected communities, and interested public,
• Developing public awareness and environmental education,
• Comprehensive consideration of cultural-landscape heritage as a promising direction for the development of ecological tourism in Vayots Dzor Region.

In June of this year, to provide necessary baseline data for the implementation of the project, specialists from the Ministry of Environment organized and conducted educational routes that included geological, hydrographic, tectonic, and historical-cultural monument sites in Vayots Dzor Region. Over thirty monuments have been studied and localized, as reflected in the accompanying map.

The collected factual materials will serve as the basis for the development of documentation packages and brochures. An informational package will be prepared for each monument, describing its significance from the perspectives of the region's geological development history, archaeological research, tectonic activity, and the discovery of mineralization deep sources.

The planned activities will promote the teaching of new ecological knowledge to school-aged children in the region, fostering environmental culture, proper and rational orientation of individuals in the fields of environmental protection, natural resource management, and ecological safety, as well as the development of capacities and behavioral shaping.