Published: 17:45 Monday - December 06, 2010

Ha Giang receives UNESCO certification on Dong Van Plateau

A ceremony to receive UNESCO recognition of Dong Van Stone Plateau as a member of the Global Network of National Geoparks (GGN) was held in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang on December 1.

The chief Representative of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi , Katherine Muller Marin and Secretary General of UNESCO Vietnam National Committee Pham Sanh Chau, handed over the UNESCO certificate to Ha Giang Province.

Addressing the ceremony, Secretary General of UNESCO Vietnam National Committee Chau said that the success of Dong Van Stone Plateau Geological Park is the result of pure determination to create Vietnam ’s first geological park in Ha Giang.

Chau also highlighted the selection of a geological park development model by Ha Giang People’s Committee to eradicate hunger, reduce poverty and step up socio-economic development.

The plateau is Vietnam ’s first pilot model of a geological park for the future and this will promote Vietnam ’s image around the world, said Chau.

It will help eliminate hunger and reduce poverty for more than 250,000 local people on the plateau, he added.

Dong Van Stone Plateau was recognised as GGN member on October 3, 2010. The plateau has now become Vietnam ’s first geological park and only the second geological park in Southeast Asia, after the Langkawi Geological Park in Malaysia .

Dong Van, which has remained untouched for hundreds of millions of years, has mammoth rocks spread over the four districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac, and Dong Van, and is 1,000m above sea level.

The plateau is 80 percent limestone and has the fossils of thousands of species of prehistoric creatures from 400-600 million years ago.

It is also home to several cultures that have sprung up over the centuries. The 574 sq.km plateau now houses 250,000 people belonging to 17 different ethnic groups.

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