Launching The National Committee for Earth Sciences and Geoparks of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO
The first meeting of the National Committee for Earth Sciences and Geoparks of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO was held on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at the premises of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO, as part of the new cycle of activities of its specialized committees. The meeting was attended by the Committee’s individual and institutional members.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Hassan Fartousi, Secretary-General of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO, welcomed the Committee members and emphasized the importance of launching the National Committee for Earth Sciences and Geoparks and its role in strengthening scientific, research, and cross-sectoral cooperation in the fields of Earth sciences, the protection of geological heritage, the development of geoparks, and the use of UNESCO’s program capacities in these areas. He also provided a brief introduction to Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO, the structure of its specialized committees, and the new regulations governing their activities, familiarizing members with the Committee’s mission, objectives, and operational mechanisms.
During the meeting, Sahar Ahmadizadeh, Director of the Natural Sciences Group at Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO and Secretary of the National Committee for Earth Sciences and Geoparks, presented a report on the latest achievements of UNESCO’s International Geoscience and Geoparks Program. The Committee’s individual and institutional members were also introduced. They then exchanged views on opportunities for cooperation, the advancement of Earth sciences, strengthening the country’s geoparks, expanding educational and research activities, and making use of UNESCO’s capacities in this field.
The Committee’s institutional members in attendance included Seyed Mahmoud Fatemi-Aghda, Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade and Head of the Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration of Iran; Hamid Zohorabie, Deputy Head of the Department of Natural Environment and Biodiversity at the Department of Environment; Ghazaleh Raheb, Head of the Road, Housing and Urban Development Research Center; and Mansour Kabganian, Deputy for Research at the Academy of Sciences of Iran.
The meeting was also attended by Sajjad Ashgaraf, Alireza Shahidi, Alireza Amri-Kazemi, Razieh Lak, and Hamid Nazari, who were nominated by the Secretary-General as individual members of the National Committee for Earth Sciences and Geoparks and appointed by the Minister of Science, Research and Technology and President of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO for a two-year term.
In the final part of the meeting, elections for the Committee’s executive board were held in accordance with the new regulations governing the specialized committees of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO. Based on the members’ votes, Seyed Mahmoud Fatemi-Aghda was elected Chair and Alireza Amri-Kazemi was elected Vice-Chair of the National Committee for Earth Sciences and Geoparks of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO. Appointment letters for the Committee’s individual members, signed by the Minister of Science, Research and Technology, were also presented to them.
The first meeting of the National Committee for Earth Sciences and Geoparks can be regarded as an important step towards strengthening cooperation among relevant institutions, developing the country’s scientific and technical capacities, protecting and promoting its geological heritage, expanding geoparks, and making greater use of the capacities of UNESCO’s International Geoscience and Geoparks Program in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.
