From July 1st to 6th, 2025, a UNESCO revalidation mission assessed the Qinling Zhongnanshan UNESCO Global Geopark. International experts Prof. Ibrahim Komoo (Malaysia) and Ms. Antónia Morais (Portugal) conducted a field inspection to evaluate the geopark’s management and development progress since the last revalidation cycle.
On July 2, officials overseeing relevant departments from the Xi’an Municipal Government and the Shaanxi Provincial Forestry Bureau met with the experts for discussions. On July 3, the Xi’an Municipal Government held a revalidation presentation meeting for the Qinling Zhongnanshan UNESCO Global Geopark. City government officials attended the meeting, and the Municipal Forestry Bureau delivered a report on the geopark’s overall development. After watching the Qinling Zhongnanshan promotional video and hearing the presentation on the geopark’s current status, the experts gave preliminary positive feedback on its recent work.
Following the meeting, the revalidation experts carried out a three-day field assessment in the core scenic areas of the Qinling Zhongnanshan Global Geopark. During this period, the geological heritage protection and monitoring facilities, as well as intangible cultural heritage elements at the Huaqing Palace scenic area, left a deep impression on the experts.
At the Zhuque scenic area, the experts engaged in warm exchanges and interactions with students at the Qinling International Juvenile Geoscience Campsite, highlighting the campsite as a significant feature of the geopark.
Upon seeing the Quaternary glacial relics, the experts recognized the site as possessing world-class landforms, deeming it a precious geological heritage worthy of preservation.
At the Cuihuashan scenic area, the experts enthusiastically visited the Global Geopark Museum and inscribed messages: “Museum is a window of the natural environment...this is the place for our children to appreciate nature and the geological wonder.” and “A museum that connects us to the Roots of Plants.”
While traversing the rockfall field, Prof. Komoo excitedly proposed developing the area into a natural science education classroom integrating knowledge of animals, plants, and geology.
Finally, the two experts held discussions with partners including cafes, farmhouse restaurants, Xi’an Fanyi University, Taiyigong Central Primary School, and Sihao Village. They commended the geopark for its deep integration of the Global Geopark concept with community development.
On July 5th, during the revalidation feedback session, the two experts affirmed the achievements in the construction and management of the Qinling Zhongnanshan UNESCO Global Geopark, spoke highly of the management team, and offered valuable suggestions for its future development.
This revalidation assessment serves as a comprehensive review of the Geopark's development achievements over the past eight years. It represents a crucial opportunity to promote the high-quality development of the Geopark and sustain its reputation as a world-class ecological site. It holds profound significance for safeguarding the Qinling ecological security barrier, transmitting geoscience culture, and promoting regional green, sustainable development. The Geopark Management Center will actively implement the experts’ suggestions and recommendations. They will further strengthen infrastructure construction, optimize the geopark management system, diligently protect its geological ecology, deeply explore its value for science-based tourism, continuously strengthen cooperation and exchanges, enhance the geopark’s international reputation and brand influence, and strive unremittingly to build a world-leading, top-tier domestic UNESCO Global Geopark.
This event was hosted by the Xi’an Municipal Government, organized by the Xi’an Municipal Forestry Bureau and the Qinling Zhongnanshan UNESCO Global Geopark Management Center, and co-organized by the Xi’an Tourism Group. Prof. Guo Anlin and Prof. Lu Rukui, geologists and geological heritage conservation experts from Northwest University, and regional development specialists for the Geopark, provided guidance and participated throughout the process. Relevant officials from the Shaanxi Provincial Forestry Bureau, Xi’an Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Transportation Bureau, Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources, Lintong District Government, Chang’an District Government, and Huyi District Government attended the reporting meeting and accompanied the field assessment.
