Indonesia prepares Bojonegoro Geopark for UNESCO green card status

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Tourism Ministry outlined the technical recommendations from UNESCO for the Bojonegoro Geopark as it works toward earning green card status in the coming years.

“The UNESCO assessment team gave a number of special notes to Bojonegoro as a new UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGp),” Tourism Ministry Spokesperson Nia Niscaya told ANTARA in Jakarta on Saturday.

Responding to Bojonegoro’s inclusion among the UGGps, Niscaya said the recommendations include adding geosites in eastern Bojonegoro and improving road access and signage to define main entry routes into the area.

The UN agency also advised simplifying explanatory panels and museum materials for general audiences, ensuring tour guides are trained and certified, and providing route guide brochures for independent travelers.

“The UNESCO assessment team also gave notes for expanding education programs such as geopark goes to school or school goes to geopark, as well as building network cooperation with geoparks in other countries,” Niscaya said.

The UGGp Council, during its 11th session in Paris, France, from Nov. 2 to 4, 2026, unanimously approved accepted status for the Bojonegoro Geopark in East Java as a new UNESCO Global Geopark.

The geopark earned the designation after meeting four core criteria praised by the assessment team and the UNESCO Council.

The first pillar highlights international geological heritage, recognizing the site's unique tectonic structure and rare shallow onshore petroleum history at Wonocolo Texas, the Kawengan Anticline, and Kayangan Api under the theme “The Unique Petroleum System on Land.”

The second pillar focuses on strong local resident commitment, which is visible across every site through community-based tourism management and micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) empowerment.

The third pillar involves cross-sector and academic collaboration, uniting the Bojonegoro district government, local universities such as Bojonegoro University (Unigoro), and industry partners in scientific research and village assistance.

The final pillar covers cultural preservation and education, including safeguarding the Samin community, traditional batik art, and youth environmental education programs that meet sustainable geopark management standards.

The Tourism Ministry is providing technical assistance, governance strengthening, promotion, and community empowerment to support Bojonegoro Geopark ahead of its four-year revalidation cycle.

Following its new UGGp recognition, Bojonegoro will undergo its first revalidation four years after formal ratification to retain its status and earn its first green card.

“For information, the green card designation is given to areas that already hold UGGp status and successfully pass re-evaluation (revalidation) every four years without violating conservation standards,” Niscaya said.

The ministry and the regional government are overseeing the completion of UNESCO's technical recommendations ahead of formal ratification by the UNESCO Executive Board in April 2027.

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Translator: Hreeloita D, Fauzul Azhim Bin Fakhrurazi
Editor: Arie Novarina
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