... Lake Toba geopark has a unique geological aspect. This confirmation is the foundation on which it could be proposed to UNESCO... "Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Yudhoyono officially designated Lake Toba as Toba Caldera Geopark, in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Thursday.
The confirmation of Toba Lake as a geopark is crucial in supporting Indonesia's plan to propose Lake Toba caldera geopark to be included in UNESCO's Geopark Global Network (GGN).
"Lake Toba geopark has a unique geological aspect. This confirmation is the foundation on which it could be proposed to UNESCO," pointed out Oki Oktariadi, a geologist of the energy and mineral resources ministry's geology agency as quoted in a statement published on the Cabinet Secretariats official website.
The government hopes that the UNESCO recognition will be won in 2015.
Lake Toba caldera geopark has education and social development functions, but the condition of Lake Toba currently needs to be improved.
The 11th European Geopark Conference held in Arouca, Portugal, September 19-21, 2012, agreed to recognize the exotic island of Balis volcanic area around Mount Batur as a member of the Global Geopark Network.
Batur Global Geopark, centered on the active Batur volcano, is located in Kintamani district, northeast Bali, between two round calderas - large volcanic craters that formed about 22 thousand years ago.
Indonesia is also considering proposing other geoparks to be recognized by the UNESCO, Merangin in Jambi, Mount Rinjani in West Nusa Tenggara, Raja Ampat in West Papua, and the Sewu Karst regions in Central Java.
Editor: Ade P Marboen
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