Between July 5 and 9, 2025, the Algarvensis Geopark hosted UNESCO's official evaluation mission as part of the application process for the Global Geoparks Network.
During five intense days, the two international evaluators appointed by UNESCO, Kristin Rangnes (Geopark Gea Norvegica, Norway) and Christophe Lansigu (Geopark Massif des Bauges, France), toured the territory that encompasses the three founding municipalities, Loulé, Silves, and Albufeira, visiting geological sites, especially the six of international importance, educational and scientific projects, museums, Algarvensis Geopark Info Centers, community experiences, cultural initiatives, geoconservation interventions, and the numerous local partners that make up the Algarvensis Geopark partnership network.
The mission involved more than 30 strategic stops and mobilized hundreds of people, from municipal technicians to teachers, students, fishermen, artisans, researchers, tour guides, businesspeople, representatives of parish councils, cultural, social, and environmental associations, and many other citizens who demonstrated, with pride and genuine involvement, the value of the Algarvensis territory.
The final technical meeting took place on July 9 at the premises of the Algarvensis Geopark Association in Loulé. At this meeting, the evaluators shared their general impressions and formally closed the mission, praising the rich heritage, the diversity of ongoing projects, and, above all, the exceptional involvement of the community.
From this moment on, the evaluators will draft a detailed technical report on the mission carried out, to be submitted to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, which will meet during the 11th International Geoparks Conference, to be held between September 8 and 14, 2025, in Temuco, Chile.
It will be on September 10, 2025, that the result of the Algarvensis Geopark's application will be announced at an official ceremony. However, even if the Council's opinion is favorable, the process still requires final ratification by UNESCO Member States during the UNESCO Executive Board meeting, scheduled for spring 2026 in Paris.
