The 8th International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks took place in the Adamello Brenta UNESCO Global Geopark, Trentino Province, Italy, from 10th to 14th September 2018. The Conference, with the main theme: “Geoparks and sustainable development”, occured at Palacampiglio in Madonna di Campiglio town, in the heart of the Geopark. At the invitation of the organizing committee of the conference, Huang Kaijun, deputy director of the zhijindong administration bureau, attended the conference. 850 delegates from 64 countries gathered in Trentino, Italy to discuss the state of the art on the UNESCO Global Geoparks and the activities of the Global Geoparks Network on Earth heritage protection and enhancement and on sustainable development promotion through geotourism and environmental education.

The 8th International Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks opened at the conference center of Adamello Brenta UNESCO Global Geopark at 9:00 a.m. local time on September 11. Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy, sent a congratulatory message to the general assembly.Prof.Patrick J Mckeever(Advisory Committee,EGN secretary of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme), Prof.Nickolas Zouros (President Global Geoparks Network) and Dr.Joseph Mase(President of Adamello Brenta Nature Park and UNESCO Global Geopark) made separate speeches.

UNESCO Global Geoparks International Conference is one of the largest and highest-ranking professional meetings in the field of geoparks. It is held every two years.The meeting is also a platform for interaction, mutual promotion and common development aim at the development of global geoparks provided by UNESCO.It is helpful for all geoparks to display their achievements and enhance their international popularity.

During the meeting, the delegation of zhijindong global geopark attended the agenda of the meeting, communicated with relevant experts of UNESCO world geopark, and reported the related work of zhijindong global geopark.Through setting up exhibition halls and distributing propaganda materials, the conference also publicized and promoted Zhijindong Cave to all the participating countries, further strengthened exchanges and cooperation with foreign global geoparks, and improved the popularity of Zhijindong Cave Global Geopark by learning from the foreign global geopark scientific management and construction management concept, It plays an active role in promoting the tourism grade of Zhijindong Global Geopark and promoting the local economic development.