The Isle of Arran welcomes UNESCO
Posted on 25 Jun 2024
Arran is welcoming two assessors from UNESCO for an “evaluation mission” that will decide whether the island will gain UNESCO Global Geopark status.
They will be touring the island, meeting local people, businesses, and other stakeholders between Thursday, June 27 and Monday, July 1.
The assessors are Hans-Hartmut Escher, from Terra Vita Geopark in Germany, and Christophe Lansigu, from Bauge Geopark in France. They will be joined by Dr. Özlem Adiyaman Lopes, an observer from UNESCO in Paris, who will be supervising the visit.
The guests are in for an action-packed few days that will see them visiting many of the island’s most important sites and Geopark Partners. Stops have been scheduled at Arran Heritage Museum, COAST, Lochranza Centre, and NTS Brodick Castle & Country Park.
They will also be given insights into many of the island’s businesses including Arran Botanicals, Bellevue Farm, Drumadoon Farm, Lagg Distillery, Lamlash Cruises, Mogabout, Taste of Arran; as well as a little time to recharge at the Douglas, Kinloch, and Ormidale hotels.
The assessors will write a comprehensive report which will recommend whether Arran is granted UNESCO status, or whether it is deferred or rejected. The report will be discussed in a UNESCO Global Geopark Council meeting later this year – and if successful – we will officially become a UNESCO Global Geopark in spring 2025.
Sheila Gilmore, CEO of VisitArran and acting Chair of Arran Geopark, said: “UNESCO Geopark status will be a great accolade for the individual communities, and of course, the Isle of Arran as a whole.
“This could honestly be a game-changer for Arran, bringing in visitors who will really appreciate and respect our island's natural resources and recognise how everything on our island - geology, heritage, flora, fauna, community, food & drink - is all interconnected.”
Rhonda Leith, Head of Service of Connected Communities, has shared her well wishes on behalf of North Ayrshire Council.
She said: “The theme of connecting communities and visitors to North Ayrshire is a key strand of the Community Investment Fund and we are glad to have previously supported Arran Geopark with the appointment of a Director earlier this year.
“The assessor visit is an important milestone in Arran Geopark’s mission to become a UNESCO destination. If successful in their application for Global Geopark status, this important organisation will ensure that Arran’s irreplaceable cultural and natural heritage is recognised, protected, and respected for generations to come.
“The project is also a key strand of the Arran Islands Plan – a ten-year plan to deliver community, economic and environmental priorities identified by the people of Arran. So, on behalf of North Ayrshire Council, I would like to wish Arran Geopark the very best of luck ahead of the upcoming assessor visit.”
Malcolm Wilkinson, Arran Geopark’s Operations Manager, added: “It really would be incredible for us to achieve the UNESCO status. “Scotland currently has two UNESCO Global Geoparks, these are North West Highlands Geopark and Shetland Geopark.
“Geoparks are a relatively new award of UNESCO, with 213 Geoparks in 48 countries around the world; they of the same importance as the better-known World Heritage Site status. Geoparks require internationally significant geological heritage – but they are about much more than rocks!
“Our heritage is so important as it is the legacy that leads where and how we live today. It is what we have to pass on to future generations, so we have to take it seriously and do all that we can to look after it and protect it.
“Arran Geopark are doing just that, as if successful Arran’s UNESCO Global Geopark status will ensure that the island’s unique natural and cultural heritage is recognised and respected for generations to come.”