Global Network of National Geoparks

International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme Councils' appointments

Source :UNESCO Published :August 28, 2018

UNESCO is the only United Nations organization with a mandate to support research and capacity building in geology and geophysics, and the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP) is our flagship with two pillars, representing the two activities: the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP), a co-operative venture with the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), and the UNESCO Global Geoparks. Both coordinate their work through a shared UNESCO Secretariat and joint coordination meetings of their respective bureaus.

 

Appointment of three new members to the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) Council

According to the Statutes of the International Geoscience and Geopark Programme approved by the 38th General Conference, the IGCP Council is composed of six ordinary members, appointed by mutual agreement by the Director-General of UNESCO and the President of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). Initial six members of the Council were appointed by the Director-General of UNESCO in December 2016 indicating those whose initial term shall expire after two years. To renew the membership of the three Council members in 2018, on the 31 December 2017, the IGCP Secretariat issued an open call using the channels of the IUGS, the IGCP National Committees and the UNESCO National Commissions to reach potential new members being high-level experts actively engaged in scientific research related to the objectives of the IGCP.

By the 12 March 2018 deadline, the IGCP Secretariat had received 115 applications from 37 Member States, 62 applications from 33 Member States were qualified to be IGCP Council member for the currently open three positions including 20 qualified female candidates applications (from 14 member states).

Keeping in mind the priority gender in UNESCO and ensuring a good geographical distribution of the Council members, while making sure we still have highly qualified members, below listed scientists were nominated by UNESCO Director-General Ms Audrey Azoulay for the new IGCP Council and they will start their activities in October 2018.

  • --Mr Sobhi Nasir (Jordan): Earth resources
  • --Ms Weijian Zhou (China): Global Change
  • --Mr Carlos Vargas Jimenez (Colombia): Geohazards

UNESCO and IUGS would like to thank Mr Guy Narbonne (Canada), Ms Maria-Julia Orgeira (Argentina) and Mr Alik Ismail-Zadeh (Azerbaijan) for their exceptional efforts to promote and support the IGCP as outgoing council members since their initial appointments in 2016. Three other current active IGCP Council members are from Netherlands, Republic of Korea and Zimbabwe were appointed by the DG in 2016 and will serve until 2020.

Appointment of six new members to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council

According to the Statutes of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP) (see 38 C/14, Part B, Article 2) and Operational Guidelines for UNESCO Global Geoparks approved by the 38th General Conference, the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council are composed of 12 ordinary members appointed by the Director-General of UNESCO on recommendation of the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) and of Member States. Every two years, half of the membership of the Council shall be renewed.

From 9 March 2018 to 30 April 2018, the Secretariat of the UNESCO Global Geoparks opened a call to renew six UNESCO Global Geoparks Council members by informing UNESCO Member States and Observers, as well as the GGN. This call and all relevant documents were also available on the UNESCO website and on the website of the GGN. Twenty-six candidates nominated by Member States and the Global Geoparks Network responded to the call.

After reviewing all the eligible candidates, keeping in mind the priority gender in UNESCO and ensuring a good geographical distribution of the Council members, while making sure we still have highly qualified members, below listed experts were nominated by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay for the new UNESCO Global Geoparks Council and they will start their activities in September 2018.

  • --Mr Soo Jae Lee (Republic of Korea)
  • --Ms Enas Abd Elhady Ahmed (Egypt)
  • --Mr Asfawossen Asrat Kassaye (Ethiopia)
  • --Mr Jianping Zhang (China)
  • --Ms Ana Ruiz (Spain)
  • --Ms Martina Paskova (Czech Republic)

UNESCO acknowledges with great thanks the efforts of the outgoing Council members Mr Ibrahim Komoo (Malaysia), Mr Alireza Amrikazemi (Iran), Mr Maurizio Burlando (Italy), Mr Xiaochi Jin (China) and Mr José Patricio Melo (Brazil) to promote and support UNESCO Global Geoparks since their initial appointments in 2016.