Russia's first geopark is created in Bashkiria

UFA, 30 May 2016. /Bashinform News Agency, Galiya Nabieva/. The Russia's first specially protected area - geopark is created in Bashkiria. This was announced by the Secretary-General of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO Affairs Grigory Ordzhonikidze at the plenary session of the International Scientific and Practical Conference "Crossroads of Cultures: Intercultural Dialogue and Cooperation in Eurasia". The forum was organized within the framework of the International Festival of Arts "Heart of Eurasia", which took place in Ufa from May 25 to 29.

"The new UNESCO program is established regarding geoparks. In Russia, there are no such areas yet, and the first pilot project is a creation of such geopark here", TASS quotes Grigory Ordzhonikidze.

The movement on creation of geoparks was originated in the 1990-s and gradually spread throughout the planet. Since 2002, UNESCO has a special program to support the creation of a worldwide network of national geoparks. There are approximately 80 geoparks in 24 countries.