Dear delegates of GEOPARKS 2012:
"Unzen Volcanic Area", "Itoigawa" and "Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano" geoparks were recognized as new members of the Global Geoparks Network on August 22, 2009. We are honored to host the 5th International UNESCO Conference on Geoparks in 2012 at Unzen Volcanic Area Geopark in Japan for the first time.
Shimabara Peninsula, which is identical to the Unzen Volcanic Area Geopark, is adjacent to the sea and is blessed with a wealth of breathtaking natural formations. Unzen Volcano is located in the heart of the national and prefectural parks, including the cities of Shimabara, Unzen, and Minamishimabara.
Although geologic phenomena and landforms created by volcanic activity have resulted in several natural benefits for residents of the peninsula such as spring water and hot springs, subsequent activity has compromised these formations. In 1990, Unzen Volcano became active after 200 years of dormancy. On June 3, 1991, 43 lives were lost by a pyroclastic flow event. The eruption continued for four and half years since then, inflicting significant damages to the economy, agriculture, and tourism in the peninsula. Now, about 20 years since the disaster, we have sufficiently recovered through the kind support and assistance of many Japanese people and overseas friends.
A tsunami disaster triggered by a major earthquake on March 11, 2011 caused numerous deaths and severe damage to the Pacific coast of Tohoku. In light of this disaster, I felt a strong necessity to share our lessons from the volcanic disaster at Unzen to prepare for future natural disasters and to save lives.
In the next conference, we want to share our experiences in volcanic disasters and recovery projects with you, because disaster prevention is one of the main themes of our geopark.
At Unzen Global Geopark, you can admire the dynamic landscapes created by volcanism and its various benefits such as hot springs, various remnants of volcanic disasters, and Japan's youngest mountain, Heisei Shinzan. Fresh vegetables and fish are abundant in the geopark, and delicious local cuisine attracts visitors.
We will provide you with information on the wonderful nature, the benefits of the Earth, the history and culture of its residents. These are the ingredients of our geopark, the main theme of which is "coexistence of volcano and people."
I sincerely welcome you to our geopark and its enriched mountains, land, and sea.
Sincerely,
Mr. Shuichiro Yokota
Chair of the Unzen Volcanic Area Geopark Promoting Office
Welcome, GEOPARKS 2012
On behalf of the organizing committee, I welcome you to the 5th International UNESCO Conference on Geoparks held in Unzen Volcanic Area Geopark in Shimabara Peninsula, Kyushu, Japan.
This biennial conference will be held from May 12 to 15, 2012. Researchers in various fields including earth science, global environment, tourism, resources, and regional economy, as well as executives and those affiliated with geoparks are invited to participate in this conference. I believe this conference offers the best opportunity to strengthen the cooperation among participants to foster greater understanding of the Earth and its processes through geoparks.
The Unzen Volcanic Area Geopark joined the Global Geopark Network (GGN) as the first geopark of Japan on August 22, 2009. In the 4th International UNESCO Conference on Geoparks held in Langkawi, Malaysia, the occurrence of the 5th conference to be held in the Shimabara Peninsula was fixed. Presently, 77 areas of 25 countries have joined the GGN since the time it was established in 2004. In Japan, Itoigawa, Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano, San'in Kaigan, and Unzen Volcanic Area geoparks are active members of the GGN; other regions in the country are preparing for application.
The Unzen Volcanic Area Geopark is located in the western part of Japanese Islands, featuring an active volcano in Kyushu. From Unzen Volcano, we can overlook the Gulf of Tachibana to the west, Aso Volcano to the east, the Sea of Ariake to the north, and the Amakusa Islands to the south. Mt. Heisei Shinzan, 1,486 m above sea level, lies at the center of the peninsula and is part of Unzen-Amakusa National Park, at which the hot springs of Shimabara, Unzen, and Obama are well known.
In the 4.6 billion years of the Earth's history, only its most recent 40 million years relate to the history of the Japanese Islands. About 40 million years ago, the Indian continent collided with Eurasia and the direction of the movement of Pacific Ocean plate changed and it began to subduct from the edge of the Eurasian continent. Approximately 16 million years ago, a region around the edge of the Eurasian continent began to open, forming the Sea of Japan. Many islands and straits are present in the Kyushu Island region leads to the south, Ryukyu Islands through Satsunan Islands.
In the Shimabara Peninsula, the earth produced through volcanic activity is blessed with the ability to produce an abundance of delicious vegetables and fruits. In addition, the Shimabara Peninsula is surrounded by a hotbed of biological diversity teeming with seafood such as delicious fish, shellfish, and sea vegetable and minerals. It is a coexistence culture between active volcano and people, repeating disasters by the eruption of the Unzen volcano and revivals from the disasters.
It is our goal to present at this conference an opportunity to best understand the Earth's natural processes and to experience the history and culture of the Japanese Islands. I sincerely hope all participants from across the globe will come to appreciate the importance of the coexisting relationship between the Earth and humans.
Kazuo Oike
Chairperson, the 5th International UNESCO Conference on Geoparks
Chairperson, Japan Geopark Committee
