Goals and Objectives

Our Goals

The primary goal of the Association for the Preservation of Bulgarian Geodiversity, according to its statutes, is "To uphold and implement the principles of UNESCO's International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP) on the territory of the country".

In accordance with the IGGP recommendation for the creation of National Geopark Commissions in member states (recognized by the respective National Commissions for UNESCO), among the main goals are:

  • The development of a National Strategy for the preservation of Bulgarian geodiversity
  • The creation of a National Committee for Geoparks, which will coordinate activities for the development and management of Bulgarian geoparks

Main Tasks

To utilize what has been achieved for integration into the values of global geo-conservation and to make a successful transition towards legitimizing Bulgaria's geological heritage to the world, the Association sets itself the following tasks:

1 To establish the promotion of Bulgaria's geological heritage as a national priority, as it represents a national wealth
2 To turn the development of geotourism into a national priority, representing a successfully oriented business sector that ensures a high return on investment
3 To draw the attention of responsible institutions towards targeted stimulation of local initiatives for geotourism development
4 To make every effort to establish the new protected territory categories of "geotope" and "geopark" through the Protected Territories Act
5 To make efforts to include areas with known geological landmarks among the priorities of operational programs for regional development

Perspectives and Opportunities

Considering the development prospects of the Bulgarian economy, it appears that the future of domestic geology will be more closely linked with tourism than with the exploration and prospecting of minerals. The integrated approach to solving society's problems requires mobilizing the efforts of experts from various fields of knowledge and the economy. The development of geotourism in Bulgaria, which is in its initial stage, requires enormous effort and resources. A necessary prerequisite for taking this economically important step for the country lies in the hands of the Association for the Preservation of Bulgarian Geodiversity, whose calling is to inform the general public about the enormous potential of geotourism as a successful and rapidly developing new tourism business sector.

The legalization of the new "geopark" protected territory category and the development of geoparks across the country will:

  • Provide new jobs
  • Introduce Bulgarian geology to a new arena – stimulating the socio-economic development of regions through geotourism

The reorientation of national and nature parks towards the preservation of geological heritage could prove to be a turning point for creating a permanent need for qualified geotourism specialists, prepared for the management, conservation, and promotion of geodiversity. The realization of the strategic tasks of Bulgarian geo-conservation will bring the country global promotion of its natural landmarks and will contribute to attracting year-round tourist flows from all continents of the world.

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