Conference of UNESCO Global Geoparks in Morocco

The UNESCO Global Geoparks met in Marrakech from September 7-9, 2023, for exchange and networking. The conference was hosted by the M'Goun UNESCO Global Geopark. Dr. Sibylle Knapp (Geopark Manager) and Prof. Dr. Heidi Megerle (deputy chairwoman of advisory board) participated. After a successful opening evening with good presentations and discussions, the conference was unfortunately overshadowed by a major earthquake on the night of September 8 and came to an early end. Fortunately, the conference participants from over 50 countries were not injured. Many thanks to the entire organization team who handled the shock situation with great consideration. Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the numerous victims in Marrakech and the surrounding area.

The topic of geohazards is one of the issues that geoparks deal with in order to jointly find solutions for such threats. It has become impressively clear how important this commitment is.