The Ministry of Environment on April 29 hosts the opening ceremony for the Global Research and Training Centre for Internationally Designated Areas of UNESCO at Jeju Stone Park on Jeju Island. (Ministry of Environment)

By Kang Gahui

UNESCO has opened on Jeju Island the Global Resesarch and Training Centre for Internationally Designated Areas (GCIDA).

The Ministry of Environment on April 29 held the opening ceremony for the facility at Jeju Stone Park.

Intended to strengthen the management capacity of internationally designated areas (IDA) under the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, the center will pursue research to raise the capacity of UNESCO member states, provide education and training, and promote domestic and global cooperation projects.

In conjunction with the ceremony, the IDA Vision Forum was held on April 30 at Ocean Suites Jeju Hotel.

"IDAs are a pivotal basis to prevent the loss of biodiversity and achieve SDGs," said Jeong Eunhae, director general of the ministry's International Cooperation Bureau. "We will support GCIDA to make it the global community's central axis that leads the sustainable preservation and development of IDAs."

kgh89@korea.kr