On 22 December, the inaugural meeting of the National Forum Global Geoparks Slovenia was held at the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport in Ljubljana. Mr Bojan Režun, representative of Geopark Idrija was elected as national coordinator, with Suzana Fajmut Štrucl of Geopark Karavanke/Karawanken as deputy. Both are also members of the Coordination Committee of the European Geoparks Network.

The National Forum on Global Geoparks in Slovenia was founded on the initiative of both Slovenian geoparks, Geopark Idrija and Geopark Karavanke/Karawanken, with the strong support of the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO.

Its tasks include coordinating the activities of Slovenian Geoparks, help in establishing Geoparks in Slovenia and their integration into the international network of Geoparks, cooperation with the European (EGN) and the Global Geoparks Network (GGN), linking with national Geoparks forums in other countries, the implementation of geo-tourism development activities, promoting Geoparks with local communities and sustainable development policy, promoting the development of new Geoparks, assessment and approval of applications, which the forum can forward to the UNESCO Secretariat in Paris, etc.

The forum comprises representatives from: the two Slovenian Geoparks – Geopark Idrija and Geopark Karavanke/Karawanken, the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO, Geological Survey of Slovenia, Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, Institute for Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, National Committee of the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP), the Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Development, Investment and Tourism – SPIRIT Slovenia and the national representative of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).

Members of the Board of the Forum unanimously elected Bojan Režun as national coordinator of the Forum, with Suzana Fajmut Štrucl as deputy. Following the election, Bojan Režun thanked all members for their support, and gave an undertaking to successfully implement the forum’s anticipated work in collaboration with the deputy.