Geopark — Geoparks: Heritage, Education and Sustainable Development - an Innovative Methodology for Southern Countries. Case Study in Morocco (Atlas Mountains, Marrakech)

Results in brief

Geoparks: Heritage, Education and Sustainable Development - an Innovative Methodology for Southern Countries. Case Study in Morocco (Atlas Mountains, Marrakech)

The EU Horizon 2020 project GEOPARK aims to study from a comparative perspective (North/South) the processes of heritage making (natural and cultural heritage) in a context of international designation by UNESCO, and to question the notion of "geoheritage" according to the Global Geopark Programme. According to the inscription list (2015) published by the Global Geoparks Network, it is undeniable that designated sites tend to be concentrated in the Global North (Europe), whereas the Global South is underrepresented with the exception of China. This leads us to question this disparity (North/South and South/South) and on the principles of UNESCO's designation. Within the framework of project GEOPARK, we analyze the political and territorial dynamics that have built these disparities by geographical areas (Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America) on the basis of the empirical and reflexive work. Considering the imbalanced situation between developing and developed countries in number of Global Geopark, this project aims to provide suitable support for developing countries on planning and management of geoparks by using the results from a specific case study in Zat Valley in Morocco.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

According to the Charter of the European Geoparks Network adopted in Greece the 5th June of 2000, a European Geopark “is a territory which includes a particular geological heritage and a sustainable territorial development strategy supported by a European programme to promote development. […]”.These territories have been labelled regarding their geological, cultural and ecological heritage - since the early 2000s this Label knows a growing success among European countries, particularly in the West (France, Germany, Italy, Spain). In 2013, 54 European Geoparks received the precious label. This international recognition by UNESCO attracts Southern countries to implement development strategies in line with the recommendations of good-practices management oriented by international organizations. Indeed, UNESCO takes into account a plurality of selective criteria such as a remarkable heritage (geology, archaeology, biodiversity, cultural), citizen participation, sustainable regional economic development plan, heritage and socio-economic values for local populations, etc. to proceed to the inscription process. It is based on an integrated and sustainable management & conservation strategy of natural and cultural heritage from an interdisciplinary approach (Humanities and Life & Earth Sciences) in consultation with local stakeholders (local communities, universities and civil society). Currently, there is no “Geopark methodology” adapted to the South. Thus, the GEOPARK project aims to study potential and compared areas (EU/Africa) with remarkable geological, ecological, social and cultural heritage. One located in Central Catalunia (Spain) and the other in the Zat Valley (Morocco) - Marrakech. Endowed with varied skills in Humanities and Life and Earth Sciences, GEOPARK project partners (public, private) propose to study biodiversity, geology, prehistory, social aspects, heritage, tourism as a geopark based on empirical surveys, field collecting data and shared experience.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

MUSEUM NATIONAL D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE · ParisCoordinatorFrance
ASSOCIACIO GEOPARC CONCA DE TREMP -MONTSEC · TrempSpain
AVIGNON UNIVERSITE · AVIGNON CEDEX 01France
BEIJING NORMAL UNIVERSITY · BEIJINGChina
CABILDO INSULAR DE LANZAROTE · ARRECIFE LA PALMASSpain
CERDAN INGENIEROS S.L. · CASTELLDEFELSSpain
MARTIN LOYERFrance
UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTONOMA DE MEXICO (UNAM) · CIUDAD DE MEXICOMexico
UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA · Cerdanyola Del VallesSpain
UNIVERSITE CADI AYYAD · MarrakechMorocco
UNIVERSITE D'AIX MARSEILLE · MarseilleFrance
UNIVERSITE PARIS CITE · ParisFrance
UNIVERSITE PARIS III SORBONNE NOUVELLE · PARISFrance

Geopark · Geoparks: Heritage, Education and Sustainable Development - an Innovative Methodology for Southern Countries. Case Study in Morocco (Atlas Mountains, Marrakech)

Results in brief

Geoparks: Heritage, Education and Sustainable Development - an Innovative Methodology for Southern Countries. Case Study in Morocco (Atlas Mountains, Marrakech)

Project objective

Participants

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