EGN members send to the Azores Geopark warm congratulations for this important recognition and unanimous congratulation vote. This recognition show the commitment of the Regional Assembly and the people of Azores, to the Azores Geopark and its role to enhance the important geological heritage and to support local sustainable development.

Such a recognition reflects not only to the Azores Geopark and the great work at the local level, but also to the Portuguese Geopark Forum and to the European Geoparks Network!

Please click below to see the EGN Week Programme in each Geopark.

Lesvos (Greece), 25 June – 4 July 2013

Claire, 39, is hospitality manager at the Kents Cavern prehistoric cave attraction in Torquay and came top in a public vote run by the national tourist board in partnership with the Daily Mirror.

The award – inaugurated last year – recognises the unsung holiday heroes who ensure visitors in England have an unforgettable experience.

Ten shortlisted candidates were featured in a video on the Mirror Travel website, with readers voting for the one they thought deserved to be crowned Tourism Superstar 2013.

Claire, from Paignton, is responsible for organising and hosting anything from concerts to guided tours at the family-run site.

“I am absolutely delighted to win this prestigious award,” said Claire, who is expecting her first child in May. “I’d like to thank all the people who voted for me.

“I love my job here and I’ve got a dedicated team at the caves delivering an outstanding experience, including, of course, our friend Cavog the Caveman!

“Kents Cavern is an innovative and exciting attraction and so important to the vitality of this region. I am really chuffed that this award is as much about giving a boost to the English Riviera and Devon as it is about me.”

She was nominated by Laura Holt, of the Devon Tourism Partnership, and even received votes from staff at tourist caves in Australia.

VisitEngland chairman Lady Cobham said: “Warmest congratulations to Claire – a very worthy winner! As VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar 2013, Claire embodies the passion and dedication that abounds in England’s tourism industry. She is an example to others striving to achieve excellence in customer service and a credit to Kents Cavern.”

Our runner-up is Anthony Gales, attendant team leader at the Beamish Museum in County Durham.

Anthony, 38, lives on-site at the museum, which tells the story of the people of the North-East during the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods and was nominated by Sarah Johnson, marketing manager at Visit County Durham, for his “unwavering commitment” to the museum and its visitors.

The announcement of the winner today marks the start of English Tourism Week, which aims to highlight the tourist industry at a national and local level with hundreds of attractions, hotels and other related businesses across England putting on special events, promotions and competitions.

To find out what’s going on in your area , visit the English Tourism Week 2013 website where an interactive map will show events across the country.

Claire and Anthony will be invited to collect their trophies at VisitEngland’s Awards for Excellence gala event in Manchester in May.

Everyone who voted for their favourite Tourism Superstar online was entered in a prize draw to win a luxury weekend for two in Brighton, including dinner, attraction passes and tickets to a show.

The winner is Sarah Hughes, of Stockton, Teesside.

[mirror.co.uk]

This event attracted thousands of people from all the world like agencies, touristic operators. The Portuguese Geoparks have met with some of them.

During the oficial visit of the portuguese minister of the economy, he was attracted by nuns who came from XVI century from Arouca Convent. This nuns have showed the culture from cister Order and have promoted simultaneously the next big event to be realized in this territory, on the next May, denominated “Skills and Flavors” .

The gastronomy of these territories was promoted during the showcooking and proof moments.

Was present also in this fair, the Azores and Terras de Cavaleiros aspiring Geoparks with several promotional activities and local products.

The participation of portuguese geoparks in this fair was an excellent contribution for to the promotion and enhancement, not only for their territories, but also for the visibility of the EGN and GGN networks.

The 3rd Asia-Pacific Geoparks Network Jeju Symposium to be held from September 7 to 13, 2013 at Jeju KAL Hotel in Jeju, Korea.

At the 3^rd Jeju symposium, under the theme of “For the Innovation of the APGN”, proudly represents unique Jeju thematic activities while maintaining originality of general meeting and its continuity. Please join us at the 3rd Asia-Pacific Geoparks Network Jeju Symposium, the turning point for geotourism and expansion of awareness of geoparks, enjoy yourself with the beauty of Jeju and share your idea for the direction of future development of Geoparks Program.

Please download the 2^nd announcement for your information.

Also you can visit our official website (http://www.apgn2013.org) for further details and the most up-to-date information.

2nd announcement

Please visit the website of the conference.

Application deadline – May 20.

This year, the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, in the frames of the International Day for Disaster Reduction, is organising a fortnight with events for the education and sensitization on the seismic risk. The activities are under the auspices of the Secretariat General for the Aegean and Island Policy and are addressed to schools, educators and the broader public. They utilise the results of the European Project RACCE (Raising earthquake Awareness and Coping Children’s Emotions), a project carried out by a partnership consisting of the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, the Natural History Museum of Crete (leading partner), the Greek National Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization, two partners from Italy (the Centre for Research and Communication Montesca and the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology – Vesuvius Observatory), the Centre of Environmental Initiatives in Bulgaria and the Geopark Réserve Naturelle Géologique de Haute-Provence in France.

The celebration program of the
International Day for Disaster Reduction 2012

The Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, through the realisation of the activities with the name “I study earthquakes – I learn how to be protected”, aims to the education of the public and mainly of the young people on issues concerning earthquake risk and to the sensitization on prevention and protection measures.

In particular, during the celebration the following events will take place:

• Presentations and lectures on “Earthquakes – The Earth in motion: The earthquake in Japan”,
• Guided tours in the temporary exhibition designed in the frames of the RACCE European project and discussions on the earthquake prevention and protection measures,
• Demonstration of the operation of the seismological station at Sigri and of the Museum’s interactive map of active seismicity in Greece,
• Educational activity which includes the simulation at the Museum’s earthquake table of the 2011 Japan earthquake and other large earthquakes, as well as implementation of protection measures during the earthquake simulations,
• Screening of the documentary “March 2011: the Japan great earthquake and tsunami”.

For more information on the events, you can also contact the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, phone number: +30 22530 54434, e-mail address: lesvospf@otenet.gr, website: www.lesvosmuseum.gr.

European Geoparks

World Environment Day celebration began in 1972 and has grown to become the one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action.

The European Geoparks Week 2012 is a European – wide festival of Geoparks, celebrating in 50 territories around Europe, aimed at raising public awareness on geoconservation and promotion of the Earth heritage monuments and sites, including exhibitions, guided tours, trekking, outdoor and educational activities in Geoparks.

Celebrating World Environment Day, through the European Geoparks Week 2012 the European Geoparks Network is able to personalize environmental issues – especially dealing with landscape and Earth heritage protection  and enable everyone to realize not only their responsibility, but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development.

The Declaration of the 5th International UNESCO Conference on Geoparks, which took place in the spectacular Unzen Volcanic Area Global Geopark, Shimabara city, Nagasaki, Japan from May 11 to 15, 2012, was voted unanimously and incloudes the main priorities on Geopark operation for the next years all around the globe.

Shimabara Declaration