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The Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark has joined a new all-island partnership, UNESCO Together, with the initiative officially launched in Belfast on 2 September.
UNESCO Together is a network of 14 UNESCO sites and six tentative sites on the island of Ireland, connecting for the first time through culture, heritage, learning, sustainability and community collaboration to create a shared network for future cooperation and exchange. The two-year project is delivered in partnership with Cavan County Council and Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark, and is funded through the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Programme. It is supported by the UK National Commission to UNESCO and the National Commission of Ireland to UNESCO, and links UNESCO Global Geoparks, World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserves and Creative Cities on the island of Ireland.
The launch provided an opportunity for representatives from the various sites to meet and begin sharing ideas and opportunities for collaboration. The project aims to involve over 650 people in cross-border activities, including workshops, community exchanges, creative residencies, environmental action activities and cultural storytelling programmes. The network also aims to develop an all-island strategic roadmap to guide long-term cooperation between UNESCO sites, including exploring the development of a UNESCO Tourism Trail highlighting heritage sites and global geoparks as drivers of sustainable tourism, education, cultural identity and community development.
Speaking at the launch, Ambassador David Brück, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the OECD and UNESCO, said: "I warmly welcome the UNESCO Together initiative. UNESCO is already connecting communities and places right across the island of Ireland, from Skellig Michael to the Giant's Causeway. This exciting project will bring those connections to life, with stronger links between those places and the people who look after them."
The project is led by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. Council Chairperson, Councillor Glyn Hanna, said: "UNESCO Together brings some of our most important heritage, cultural and environmental destinations into a single network with a shared vision for collaboration.
"By working together, UNESCO sites can amplify their impact, support sustainable tourism, celebrate cultural identity and create meaningful opportunities for communities to engage with and benefit from their local heritage. I am delighted that Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is leading this ambitious initiative and look forward to seeing the partnerships, projects and friendships that emerge over the coming years."
More information on the UNESCO Together Network is available at https://mournegullionstrangfordgeopark.com
