West Java Again Hands Over Ciletuh Management To And Geoparks Of The Izu Peninsula
JAKARTA - The managerial development and technical management of Geopark Ciletuh, Sukabumi Regency is again handed over to the Geopark Peninsula Izu. The West Java Provincial Government agreed to extend the cooperation carried out by the West Java Regional Secretary Herman Suryatman during a visit to Japan some time ago with the management of Geopark Peninsula Izu at Shizuoka Perfektur with an extension duration of the next five years.
Kerjsama it includes improving managerial and technical capabilities of geopark management, including developing HR management, as well as optimizing geopark potential, both in the diversity dimension of culture and bio-cultural, as well as geo-diversity.
"This collaboration with Izu Peninsula Geopark which has gone well is an important step for West Java. Through this collaboration, we encourage geoparks in West Java to be managed professionally, both in terms of managerial, technical, and human resources. The West Java Provincial Government will also use it for geopark development as a future leading tourist destination," Herman said in a statement in Bandung, Friday, October 18.
Ciletuh and Peninsula Izu have both entered the Unesco Global Geopark Network (UGGN). Ciletuh itself has been registered since 2018 and managed to maintain its status in 2022, marked by the acceptance of the UGGN certificate in the 10th International Symposium on Unesco Global Geopark 2023 in Morocco in September 2023.
Furthermore, according to Herman, cooperation with the Izu Peninsula also opens up opportunities for other potential geoparks in West Java, such as the Cisaar Valley in Jatigede, Sumedang Regency.
The Sumedang Regency Government itself has made the Cisaar Valley a geopark and tourist destination because apart from having a strong biodiversity and landscape, from inside the stomach many ancient animal fossils were also found.
"We are sure that this collaboration will not only optimize the management of Ciletuh Geopark in Sukabumi, but also encourage the expansion of cooperation for Cisaar Jatigede Geopark in Sumedang. We are trying to get geoparks in West Java to join the Unesco Global Geopark Network, as Izu Peninsula Geopark," Herman said as quoted by ANTARA.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the Geopark Peninsula Izu Kazuo Uematsu expressed his appreciation for the cooperation that was established, and hoped that it would continue to develop and have a positive impact on both parties.
Kazuo also highlighted the importance of better logistical support and coordination in this collaboration.
"We are aware that there are several technical problems such as language and logistics that need to be resolved. However, with good coordination, we are sure that this cooperation will run more smoothly," he said.