The Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Qeshm Free Zone Organization announced that the women of Qeshm Island have been featured in UNESCO's 2023 report as leaders of geotourism activities and contributors to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

Published on : Apr 1, 2023

The Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Qeshm Free Zone Organization announced that the women of Qeshm Island have been featured in UNESCO's 2023 report as leaders of geotourism activities and contributors to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Department of Qeshm Free Zone Organization, Afshar Fathollahi expressed appreciation for the role of women in preserving indigenous traditions and customs and supporting tourism development in the region. He noted that UNESCO's recognition of the leadership role of the women of Qeshm in its annual report represents another source of pride for the local community of Qeshm Island and the region.

He further stated that in the report entitled Geoscience in Action: Advancing Sustainable Development, prepared by leading international experts in collaboration with the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), women of Qeshm are highlighted as individuals who lead geotourism activities within Qeshm Island UNESCO Global Geopark and serve as a model for 177 UNESCO Global Geoparks worldwide.

According to Fathollahi, the empowerment of women has been one of the most significant programmes of Qeshm Island UNESCO Global Geopark. This achievement has been realised through their active participation and extensive engagement in various geotourism fields, including handicrafts, tour guiding, local restaurants, eco-lodges and other community-based tourism activities.

The Chief Executive Officer of Qeshm Free Zone Organization welcomed the international recognition of the success of women in Qeshm Island UNESCO Global Geopark and added that their contribution to the achievement of UNESCO's Sustainable Development Goals is a source of national and international pride.

He noted that the publication Geoscience in Action: Advancing Sustainable Development provides a practical roadmap for understanding how geoscience can contribute to addressing environmental, social and economic challenges and advancing sustainable development. The report emphasises the role and importance of geoscience within UNESCO and highlights various approaches through which the Organization promotes this field globally.

He added that the conservation of geoheritage through the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network is among UNESCO's most important initiatives in this field. Achieving this objective requires close engagement with local communities and the empowerment of local women through the integration of conservation, education and sustainable development.

In this publication, women of Qeshm Island UNESCO Global Geopark are recognised as an international model among 177 UNESCO Global Geoparks and they are described as those who drive and guide geotourism activities within the geopark.