“UNESCO Global Geoparks: Territories of resilience” is the new Global Geopark Network (GGN) initiative launched last 21st April 2020, in a moment when more than half of the world’s population is still leaving a long and difficult COVID-19 lockdown.
This initiative with a high semantic value should open inside the UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGps) community new and complementary reflections on the UGGp concept.

Understanding resilience
Resilience is a fundamental concept that is intrinsic to the UGGps concept. It is the capability of communities and territories to cope with significant adversity as we are facing in this COVID-19 pandemic moment but also in any case of risk or difficulties: Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Floods, Landslides, Volcanic eruptions, Droughts, Economic crisis, Terrorism, War, and migrant movement of Refugees.
UGGps are sustainable development territories and resilience is fully embedded in the institutional, social, economic and environmental dimensions of any kind of these territories. Culture and local identity, education, social cohesion are fundamental keys to resilience.
A resilient territory not just tries to respond to disruption and crisis by trying to bring the system back into balance, but also rather tries to develop solutions that bring a system in a new state that is capable of dealing with present and future challenges.

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