The UGGp Evaluator Team, Very Happy and Familiar

Focus on Conservation and Community Empowerment

Bangko-After a day of assessing the Merangin Jambi Geopark in the Air Batu Village area and along the Batang Merangin River on the first day on Saturday (08/10), the UNESCO Global Geopark Evaluator Team (UGGp) was delighted.  Mr. Babis C Fassoulas and Mr. Alireza Amrikazemi looked very familiar, especially while they were together with the village children. The two evaluators were happy, joking, and having a dialogue with the children at Elementary School 14 in Air Batu Village, Renah Pembarap Sub-district.

The familiar atmosphere happened while Mr. Babis C Fassoulas and Mr. Alireza Amrikazemi had visited the Dua Sahabat Basecamp, commanded directly by Mr. Syamsul. To Mr. Syamsul, Mr. Babis C Fassoulas asked, "What if the Geopark fossil is stolen or disturbed ?".

Mr. Syamsul said, “It is not allowed, and people will die if they steal or disturb the Merangin Jambi Geopark fossils. We are very protective of him". Then, he got a laughing response from Mr. Babis C Fassoulas and Mr. Alireza Amrikazemi.

The Merangin Jambi Geopark Evaluator Team felt that the local people in the Air Batu Village Geopark area loved and took good care of their Geopark.  The comfortable feel of the Evaluator Team can seem when they are rafting along the Batang Merangin River while stopping and observing the Air Batu Granitoid Geosite, Teluk Gedang Geosite, and Teluk Gedang Wood Fossil Geosite.  The two evaluators of Merangin Jambi Geopark stay in a rubber boat together with the Vice Regent of Merangin, Mr. Nilwan Yahya, the General Manager of Merangin Jambi Geopark, Mr. Dr. Agus, and the interpreter, Mrs. Malla Indra and Geologist Mrs. Magdalena Ritonga, looked very calm.

As they joked, Mr. Babis C Fassoulas said that the senior evaluators were him and Mr. Alireza Amrikazemi; and the Senior tour guides for the Merangin Jambi Geopark were Mr. Syamsul and Mr. Gofur.  The two tour guides have mastered the field of river flow and the points where the Merangin Jambi Geopark fossils are. Everyone was seen laughing and happy during the long journey through the swift flow of the Batang Merangin River.  Based on their attitude, the UGGp Evaluator Team revealed that their evaluators tend to focus on the conservation and empowerment of local communities in the Merangin Jambi Geopark area.

Separately, Mr. Dr. Agus Zainudin said that if the UGGp Evaluator Team focused on conservation and community empowerment. Both points can take from the attitude observation and body language of Mr. Babis C Fassoulas and Mr. Alireza Amrikazemi.  "We pray together that our Geopark will qualify for the UGGp list and the people in the Merangin Jambi Geopark area already know a lot about what a Geopark is", said Mr. Dr. Agus Zainuddin; also the head of the Development Planning Agency of Merangin.  He explained that the two focuses of conservation and community empowerment were suggestions for the Jambi Provincial Government, especially the Merangin Regency Government, to continue to follow up. (teguh/kominfo)