Mount Guangwu - Nuoshui River UNESCO Global Geopark has received the"Green Label" Certification from UNESCO through Re-evaluation for the First Time
On April 27, the awarding ceremony for the UNESCO Global Geoparks was held in Paris, France. Mount Guangwu - Nuoshui River UNESCO Global Geopark was awarded the"Green Label" certification for 2026-2029, marking that the park has successfully passed its first re-evaluation.
It is known that UNESCO implements a periodic certification system for the title of"UNESCO Global Geopark". UNESCO global geoparks are required to undergo re-evaluation and certification every 4 years. An written report should be submitted by the expert team after on-site inspection, which should then be reviewed by UNESCO Global Geopark Council to determine whether the evaluated park receives a"Green Label","Yellow Label", or"Red Label". Specifically,"Green Llabel" indicates that the qualification can be extended for 4 years after successful evaluation;"Yellow Label" indicates that rectification is required and another evaluation shall be conducted 2 years later; and"Red Label" indicates that the qualification shall be revoked. After the evaluation results are submitted to the Executive Board of UNESCO for review and confirmation, the secretariat of the UNESCO Global Geopark shall uniformly issue an official certificate to the evaluated park.
In July 2025, a UNESCO expert team conducted a 4-day on-site investigation at over 20 sites within Mount Guangwu - Nuoshuihe UNESCO Global Geopark to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of park management, geological heritage conservation, science popularization education and community development. The team praised the park for "providing a model of sustainable development for UNESCO global geoparks." In September 2025, at the 11th UNESCO Global Geoparks Conference held in Chile, the park unanimously passed the re-evaluation review.
Mount Guangwu - Nuoshui River UNESCO Global Geopark has continuously deepened its construction and management in recent years, and actively expanded international exchanges and cooperation. It has established sister-park relationships with Khorat UNESCO Global Geopark in Thailand and conducted exchange visits, while exploring cooperation opportunities with other global geoparks such as Lesvos Island in Greece and Majella in Italy. Its international network has continued to expand, with 23 sister parks now formally partnered, enabling shared resources, talent exchange, and mutual exhibition and promotion of tourism products. Management team members have successfully been selected as UNESCO Global Geopark evaluators, marking a historic breakthrough in the internationalization of talent development. The Park has established geotourism brands such as"Guest from Afar", launching a series of geotourism products to promote the deep integration and development of culture and tourism. Leveraging its role as a science popularization base, the Park has produced 16 types of science popularization materials, 30 episodes of science popularization short videos, 7 episodes of science popularization films, 4 science popularization promotional videos, and 1 music movie. It has established cooperative relations with nearly 30 enterprises in the Park to promote the characteristic products of the enterprises to both domestic and international markets, which has effectively promoted the local economic and social development.
Next, Mount Guangwu - Nuoshui River UNESCO Global Geopark will take its successful completion of the first re-evaluation as a new starting point. It will further advance protection management, scientific research, science popularization, as well as exchanges and cooperation to higher standards. It will continue to be committed to safeguarding Earth's billions-year-old geological heritage, deeply exploring effective pathways for geoparks to promote rural revitalization, and contributing more Chinese practices and wisdom to the sustainable development of global geoparks. (Source/Bazhong Daily)
Translated by: Zhang Feng from Jinan University
Reviewed by: Mao Min from Beijing Yooyi Culture and Media Com., Ltd.
