The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research organized a training workshop at the University of Karbala on strengthening capacities to protect the global geological heritage and the establishment of UNESCO geoparks, in preparation for the annexation of the Al-Tar Caves area in the holy governorate of Karbala to geological parks in the world, with the participation of the Ministry of Education, the Iraqi National Committee for Education, Culture and Science and the Arab Educational Organization Culture and Science in the League of Arab States, in the presence of Arab and foreign researchers and specialists.

His Excellency the Honorable Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Naeem Al-Aboudi, said in a speech delivered on his behalf by the President of Karbala University, Professor Basem Khalil Al-Saeedi: “The ministry, represented by the University of Karbala, seeks to keep pace with the requirements of the local and global labor market.”

Al-Aboudi added, “The ministry is working hard to enhance cooperative work with the competent authorities to achieve the goals of sustainable development, pointing to continuing efforts to consolidate the identity of the local community.”

Al-Aboudi said: “The great importance of the Al-Tar caves is what prompted them to be selected in the workshop as a prelude to their inclusion in the global geological parks affiliated with UNESCO.”

Dr. Elissa Stott, a specialist in the Ecology and Earth Sciences Program at the UNESCO Regional Office for Sciences in the Arab Countries, confirmed the readiness of the UNESCO office in Cairo to provide technical support to Iraq in order to convert some archaeological sites into geological parks, according to certain criteria and data to classify them globally.

And she indicated: “The office is keen, through the workshop, to clarify the importance of the global geological heritage, and to manage it in a participatory manner with local communities,” explaining that the visit to Al-Tar Caves is among the initial steps to include it in the UNESCO list.

In the same regard, Dr. Javier Lopez, director of the geological park “Florcas of Spain”, stated that “the purpose of the workshop is to study the importance that the site will have at the global level, in addition to the role it plays in supporting the economy for the surrounding population, and achieving harmony between the local population and the parks.” Geological, pointing to the need for global partnership to achieve development and strengthen the region’s economy.

For his part, the President of the University of Karbala, Prof. Basem Khalil Al-Saeedi, said: “The main goal of organizing this workshop is to include the Al-Tar Caves in Karbala within the UNESCO geological parks, indicating that this archaeological landmark will contribute to stimulating tourism within the city.”

Al-Saeedi said, “The workshop is a good opportunity to cross-fertilize scientific ideas with researchers from various Arab and foreign countries.”

It is noteworthy that the workshop included the presentation of research papers by local and foreign researchers explaining the meaning of geological parks, and what are the necessary foundations for their global adoption.