BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 14. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources held a meeting of the Working Group, comprising representatives of the ministry and relevant government agencies, to discuss a project to establish a Geological Park in Azerbaijan to preserve the country's geological heritage and develop geotourism, the ministry said.
Aynura Karimova, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, noted that the meeting reviewed the work completed on the conceptual aspects of the geopark project, discussed the progress made on developing the final version of the geopark concept, defining the territorial boundaries, conducting a survey of the territory, and preparing the nomination dossier in accordance with international requirements.
According to a ministry representative, creating the geopark will help preserve Azerbaijan’s unique geological heritage, promote the mud volcano group on the Absheron Peninsula, develop ecotourism, and pave the way for Azerbaijan’s future membership in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network.
The initiative to establish the Geopark is being implemented in accordance with the “Strategy for the Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2022–2026,” approved by a Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated July 22, 2022.
The new geopark is planned to be established in areas selected by international experts from among the mud volcanoes located in Baku and on the Absheron Peninsula.
