Major achievements of Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark in 2019 and action plan for 2020

Non nuoc Cao Bang was designated as a UNESCO global geopark on April 12^th 2019, covering the territory of 6 districts namely Ha Quang, Tra Linh, Quang Uyen, Trung Khanh, Ha Lang, Phuc Hoa and parts of the territory of another 3 districts namely Hoa An, Nguyen Binh, and Thach An, with a total area of 3.072Km2. The geopark contains more than 130 geological sites and some of them have international significance. Thanks to the suport from the Party committee, People’ coucil, People’s committee of Cao Bang province and cooperation from related departments and districts in geopark territory, Management board of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp has made remarkable achievements which has contributed to the development of tourism of Cao Bang province, especially in areas such as communication, community education; international cooperation and networking; and the enabling tourism infrastructure system.      

The communication, promotion and rising awareness of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp plays the key role in deciding the effectiveness of the development of the geopark. Through these activities, local communities, tourists’ service provider, geopark partners were awareness of the necessity of the development of geopark model in Cao Bang. As a result they actively participated in the activities of the geopark. In 2019, the Management board of Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark carried out 04 training courses on geological heritage and geopark for trainees who are public officers and commune officers, youth union, women union and village heads, and tourists’s service provider in the Cao Bang city, Youth Union of Cao Bang province, Thach An and Phuc Hoa district; 01 geopark training course for the tour guides working in Cao Bang province and 01 course for leaders of districts and head of Devision of Culture, Information and tourism of district people’s committee.

For communication materials, in 2019 the Management of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp published some communication material to advertise the image of the geopark such as: News letters No 1, 2, 3, and 4 of 2019; designed and published the leaflets (9000) and guidebooks (900) the Three experience routes of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp; Updated more than 193 news and articles on website  and facebook of the Geopark;   , and launched “the 2 best shot on Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp competition 2018”; Replace the panel system in the geopark (IP, P, SP, A/E, etc) meeting criteria of a UNESCO global geopark; Summing-up and Awarding ceremony for “the 2^st best shot on Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp competition 2018; and cooperated with the UNESCO consultant to develop the scenario for the promotional video of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp!

Being aware of the importance of carrying out activities on international cooepration and promotion to outreach the image of Cao Bang the world in general and tourism of Cao Bang in particular, in 2019 the geopark carried out some of following  actvities:

        - Receiving the working delegation of Les Maures aspiring geopark of France and exchange the experience in developing the UNESCO global geopark of Cao Bang and introduce to the delegation distinguishing values of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp;

        - Advised the provincial authority to cooperate with UNESCO to successfully organize the international conference  on “ Sustainable tourism development through geopark model” in Cao Bang. This event attracted more than 250 participants, especially the 13 well-know internatinoal scholars in geology, tourism and representatives of UGGps arround the world; Conducted field visit for the participants to experience the geopark from 9^th – 11^th May 2019.

- Cooperated with the Permanent delegation of Viet Nam to UNESCO to develop project proposal to improve the livelihood for people in Khuoi Ky stone village, Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district, Cao Bang and send to potential donnors.

- Advsied the province to send invitation letter to the Christian Bourquin High school and Vietnam- Fance friendship association to pay a working visit to Cao Bang and consult Cao Bang province to improve tourism service in Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp.

- Regularly pariticipated in the monthly meetin gwith the Committee on Geopark and National commission for UNESCO of Viet Nam on the development of the geopark in Viet Nam and support the mutual promotion among geoparks in Viet Nam.

- Cooperated with NATCOM of Viet Nam to carry out the cooperation program with NATCOM of Germany on receiving the volunteer coming to work in Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp.

- Advised the People’s committee of Cao Bang province to establish a delegation to participate at the UNESCO global geopark of Asian pacific region in Indonesia; Contributed a presentation at the conference to share information of Non nuoc Cao Bang at the Conference, introduce about products of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp at the Geofairs.

- Received and met with the delegation of the Coordinator of NATCOM of Germany on their visit to Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp and discuss on the 2^nd phase of the volunteer program in Non nuoc Cao Bang;

Developing Non nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO global geopark meeting criteria of UNESCO plays crucial role to the sustainable scocio-economic development of the province and suitable to the current condition of the province. The UNESCO lable would help enhance the tourism sector of Cao Bang province, which then would result in an improvement in livelihoods of local communities living in the geoaprk territory, environmental and ecological protection, proper use of natural resources, and promotion of potential and advantages of Cao Bang in areas like: eco-tourism, community and cultural-based tourism to attract more domestic and international visitors. To better the development of the geopark for socio-economic development, the management board of Non nuoc Cao Bang geopark would focus on some of following activities:

- Continuing to implement the given tasks as in the Directive No14/CT-UBND dated October 20th 2017 on the enhancement of the management on geological, cultural, landscape heritage and environment in Cao Bang province;

 - Cooperate with related departments and agencies to carry out tasks in the 6 recommendations of the evaluators to Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp.

- Implement the geopark development Plan of phase II from 2019-2022 to meet criterias of a UNESCO global geopark;

- Cooperate with volunteers from NATCOM of Germany to carry out activities on geopark education and geopark education in schools;

- Continue to develop and explore the potentials of the 3 routes of the geopark, make best use of advantages of beautiful landscapes, geological heritage, cultural heritage in Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp;

- Develop a Monitoring and Evalution system and conduct periodical field inspection to timely propose solution to improve the effectiveness of heritage protection in the Geopark areas.

- Carry out activities on education and communication on geopark to the communities in the geopark and schools, develop field learning activities for students;

- Pay attention to develop a system of qualified partners and complete these criteria, then outreach these criteria to people and on mass media;

-  Suport to implement some local initiatives on community based tourism, ecological tourism, livelihood improvement, especial for ethnic minority groups living in the geopark territory;

- Implement the proposal on widening the territory of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp (scheduled to include Cao Bang city inside the geopark territory) to lay the foundation for the implementation of the Proposal on visitor collecting fee to support the development of the geopark. Organize thematic conferences to collect feedbacks from central angecies on the Proposal of visitor collection fee.

- Cooperate with geoparks in the Geopark network of Vietnam to carry out mutal promotion activities; participate at the international thematic conference and workshop to learn and share experience in developing the UNESCO global geopark.