The GGN Awards will be presented during the 9th International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks 2020

The Global Geoparks Network (GGN) Awards aims to promote, enhance and encourage the development of innovative initiatives in the UNESCO Global Geoparks.

The award will recognise pioneering practices and initiatives that contribute to a more effective and dynamic network, set fantastic exemplars for others to follow and emulate, and create greater public recognition of the UNESCO Global Geoparks.

The prize honours the management and / or a partner of a UNESCO Global Geopark for the pioneering nature and quality of the initiative, encouraging all the GGN members to work in the same line.

The GGN Awards includes six awards, granted by the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) in partnership with the Organizing Committee of the International Geopark Conference.

There will be 5 categories for the GGN Awards:

1. Conservation in Geoparks
2. Education
3. Tourism and Sustainable Development
4. Networking
5. Local participation One Special Award for Aspiring Geoparks based on their participation in GGN activities which showed the commitment to GGN

UNESCO Global Geoparks Managers and UNESCO Global Geopark Evaluators who took part in Geopark evaluation/revalidation missions in 2018 and 2019 are kindly invited to submit a proposal for the GGN Awards 2020.

Eligibility Criteria

The Global Geoparks Network (GGN) Awards will be considered and decided by the GGN ExB and subsequently awarded during the International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks based on proposals submitted by either the Geopark Managers or the Geopark Evaluators.

Selection Criteria

The main selection criteria are based on:

• Suitability and replication capability in other GGN territories
• Effective contribution to an increasingly better functioning of the territories classified as UNESCO Global Geoparks
• The innovative nature of the best practice example (relevant, original, unique approach, etc.)

For the Special Award for Aspiring Geoparks the criteria should be related to their participation in GGN activities which showed the commitment to the GGN

• Participation in International Geoparks Conference.
• Participation in Intensive Course on Geoparks.
• International Cooperation with UNESCO Global Geoparks.

Candidatures

Submissions should be sent to the GGN Secretariat by the Geopark Managers or the Geopark Evaluators, detailing the best practice example(s) in each one of the above categories. The formal application should include the following elements:

• Geopark Name and Country
• Proposer Name and contact
• Category of the Award
• Summary description of the best practice observed (up to 1 page)
• Brief justification for the merit of the applied best practice in accordance with the main selection criteria (up to 1 page)
• A set of 2-4 pictures or a document that allow to visualize the example of good practices or understand its practical implementation.

Prizes

The prizes awarded will consist of a diploma mentioning the example of good practice and their assignment will have appropriate emphasis in all communication channels of GGN.

The awards will be accompanied by a grant of GGN for one person’s participation in the International Courses on UNESCO Global Geoparks.

The winning cases will be given the opportunity to present their project in detail to the conference delegates during a special best practice session.

Winners will therefore be notified of their award in advance of the conference in order to make arrangements to attend and prepare a power point.

Please ensure that the Geopark Managers and the Geopark Evaluators proposals is submitted by December 31st, 2019 for the Geoparks who received evaluation/revalidation missions done during 2018 and 2019 to:

E-mail: ggnassociation@hotmail.com