As part of efforts to enhance Arab and global cooperation towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, ALECSO, in collaboration with the UNESCO Regional Office for Egypt and Sudan, held a virtual regional symposium titled : “Expanding the Vision of Biosphere Reserves and Geoparks in Arab Countries.” 

Over 50 Arab and international experts took part in the Symposium, representing various fields including environmental science, geology, and water, soil and botanical sciences, along with representatives from regional and international organizations concerned with environmental and sustainable development issues.

In his remarks at the opening session, Dr. Mohamed Sanad Abu Darwish, Director of Science and Scientific Research at ALECSO, conveyed the greetings of H.E. Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of ALECSO, to all participants. He emphasized the importance of this kind of multilateral cooperation in supporting efforts to achieve environmental goals, particularly the preservation of biological and geological diversity in the Arab region.

For her part, Dr.  Nuria Sanz, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo, underlined the significance of the ALECSO–UNESCO partnership. She noted that the Symposium represents a practical step in implementing the recommendations adopted by the 10th Forum on Scientific Research and Sustainable Development, organized and hosted by ALECSO in September 2024, with the participation of experts and representatives of relevant international organizations.

The program of the Symposium included five panels covering the following topics:

• The impact of climate change on sensitive ecosystems.
• The importance of integrating traditional environmental knowledge with modern scientific research.
• The developmental role of Geoparks in rural areas.
• Strengthening the resilience of communities in arid and coastal regions.
• Developing a joint Arab roadmap in environmental and earth sciences.

The Symposium offered a valuable opportunity for experts and institutions to share expertise and experience. It concluded with a set of recommendations that ALECSO and UNESCO will work to implement and to publicize in future regional and international forums concerned with environmental issues.