The Office of the World Geoparks Network unveiled its curtain here on Sunday, witnessed by Minister of Land Resources Sun Wensheng and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO Walter R. Erdelen as well as some participants of the first international conference on geoparks.

Missions of the world geoparks network office include setting up a website of the world geoparks network, collecting informationon world's geoparks and establishing a database for them, compiling world geopark newsletter, setting up a database on geopark experts and pushing forward geopark development in Asia-Pacific areas.

Erdelen told Xinhua that the UNESCO (United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization) chose Beijing as home of the world geoparks network office, because China has made outstanding contribution in geological heritage protection and taken the lead in recognizing the importance of geological heritage protection.

"The great support from the Chinese government to the first international conference on geoparks demonstrated the country's strong political will on better protecting geological heritages," he added.

Since November 2003, the Ministry of Land Resources has started to make preparations for the establishment of the world geoparks network office. To date, the website has opened and the newsletter has been published, while other preparatory work is in full swing.

Source: Xinhua