✅ The Third International Scientific Webinar on “Geodiversity”
🔷 Dr. Vesal Yahya Sheibani, faculty member of Payame Noor University, Tabas Center, and Director of the Tabas UNESCO Global Geopark, announced the successful organization of the Third International Scientific Webinar on Geodiversity, held on Monday, October 6, 2025, under the global slogan “One Earth, Many Stories.”
🔹 Dr. Sheibani stated that this international scientific event was held with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of geodiversity, the protection of geological heritage, and the role of geoparks in sustainable development. The event was hosted by the Tabas UNESCO Global Geopark in collaboration with Payame Noor University, Tabas Center, with the participation of professors and researchers from the University of Tehran, Payame Noor Universities of Tabas and Birjand, as well as directors of five UNESCO Global Geoparks from the Asia-Pacific Network — Tabas (Iran), Qeshm (Iran), Aras (Iran), Langkawi (Malaysia), and Khorat (Thailand) — and a UNESCO Global Geopark evaluator.
🔹 Serving as the scientific secretary of the webinar, Dr. Sheibani emphasized the necessity of strengthening scientific and cultural cooperation among geoparks, noting that “Geodiversity is one of the most valuable components of the world’s natural heritage, and geoparks, by linking geological knowledge with sustainable development, can play a key role in safeguarding this global treasure.”
🔹 She added that the speakers discussed strategies for enhancing the role of geoparks in education, sustainable tourism, and public awareness. Successful experiences from Malaysia and Thailand were shared, focusing on attracting geotourists, empowering local communities, and conserving outstanding geological phenomena.
🔹 The Director of the Tabas UNESCO Global Geopark highlighted, in the concluding part of the event, the importance of expanding scientific and operational cooperation between Iranian geoparks and other members of the Global Geoparks Network. Participants commended the scientific and cultural initiatives of the Tabas UNESCO Global Geopark and called for the continuation of such programs to strengthen scientific diplomacy and increase international interactions in the field of geosciences.
🔹 Dr. Sheibani, a faculty member at Payame Noor University, Tabas Center, concluded by stating that the International Webinar on Geodiversity aimed to foster synergy among the geoparks of Iran, Malaysia, and Thailand — symbolizing global cooperation for the protection of the Earth and its natural resources; a shared endeavor to ensure that the “Stories of the Earth” continue to be told.
🗓 October 6, 2025
