From September 23rd to 24th, 2024, the 2024 China UNESCO Global Geoparks Annual Conference and the 20th Anniversary Symposium of the Global Geoparks Network were successfully held in Xingyi Gloabl Geopark, Guizhou Province. The theme of this year's annual meeting is "Inheriting the Charm of Geology and Continuing to Write Two Decades of Splendor". At the event, in-depth discussions were held on the diverse values and global influence of China's Global Geoparks. A total of 150 guests, including representatives from 47 Globald geoparks across the country and experts from universities, attended.
Wang Zhigao, Chief Economist of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Yan Chenggao, First-level Inspector of the Protected Areas Management Department, Yuan Xiaohong, former second-level Inspector of the Protected Areas Management Department, Zhang Jianping, professor of China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and member of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, Chen Changxu, Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of Qianxinan Prefecture, Guizhou Province, and other responsible persons from relevant national and provincial departments and specially invited experts in related fields attended the annual meeting. Experts such as Martini Guy, the former president of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, congratulated the convening of the meeting via video.
The meeting made a summary report on the 20-year development of China's Global Geoparks and the work for 2024, held the unveiling ceremony of Guizhou Xingyi Gloabl Geopark and the signing ceremony of sister parks. The conference also held a roundtable interview titled "Twenty Years of Splendor: The Diverse Values and Global Impact of China's Global Geoparks". At the end of the conference, the "Xingyi Declaration on the 20th Anniversary of the Development and Construction of China's Gloabl Geoparks" was released, and a flag was presented to Wugong Mountain Global Geopark, the host of the 2025 annual conference.
The delegation of Zhijindong Cave Global Geopark actively participated in various activities, visited the Xingyi Gloabl Geopark Museum, the Guizhou Dragon Fossil In-situ Museum, the Xingyi Global Geopark Primary School, etc., further studied the latest assessment standards and key points of UNESCO Global Geoparks, and learned about the application and assessment situation of Global Geoparks in recent years. It has drawn on the advanced management and construction experiences shared by various parks.