KUCHING: Sarawak Delta Geopark has moved a step closer to earning its place on the global map as it celebrated its first International Geodiversity Day following its recent Green Card (ACCEPTED) status by the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council.
The recognition, granted during the council’s meeting in Chile last September, signifies that the geopark has met the necessary criteria and is now in the final stages of the evaluation process before being officially declared a UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGp), expected in May 2026.
To mark this milestone, the Geoforum: Borneo’s Cradle of Origin was held at Raia Hotel and Convention Centre Kuching today in conjunction with the 2025 International Geodiversity Day themed “One Earth, Many Stories.”
Officiating the event, Forest Department of Sarawak Director and Sarawak Delta Geopark Manager, Datuk Hamden Mohammad, highlighted geodiversity’s role as the foundation of human life, sustainable development, and natural resource management.
“Every landscape, rock and fossil holds its own story. It is a 4-billion-year-old history book that guides us in understanding climate change, preserving nature, and planning for a sustainable future,” he said.
Hamden attributed the achievement to the collective efforts of government agencies, local communities, educational institutions, geopark partners and advisory figures who played key roles during the UNESCO expert evaluation in June this year.
Throughout October, a series of outreach and conservation activities will be held to foster public awareness and appreciation of geodiversity, including geological tours with geopark schools (Oct 8 and 25), a gotong-royong at the Syis Tuang Geological Heritage Site in Semeba (Oct 18), and a tree planting programme with the Sadir Village community in Padawan (Oct 19).
He stressed that the journey does not end with UNESCO recognition but signals the beginning of long-term efforts to generate socio-economic benefits for Sarawakians, in line with the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, which focuses on economic prosperity, environmental sustainability and inclusive participation.
