“There is still a lot to do, but we have already done, in a complicated year, a lot”. This is how Cristina Veiga-Pires, scientific coordinator of the aspiring UNESCO World Geopark, summarized how much the multifaceted team that is preparing the application, which will have to be delivered within two years, has already done.
And that was also how, this Wednesday, the 2nd, the site for the Algarvensis Loulé-Silves-Albufeira Geopark and the promotional video were presented in the auditorium of the Caixa Agrícola de São Bartolomeu de Messines.
Nuno Aires, from Comunicame, the company responsible for the production of the video, confessed: «when they invited us, we got a little panicked. How to summarize 400 million years in just over 4 minutes?».
But then, with the help of screenwriter Ivo Machado, and led by the hand by Tatá Regala, who descends to the depths of the Loulé rock salt mine, climbs to the heights of Rocha da Pena, jumps streams, regains strength with a small strawberry mosquito , eats oranges at Silves castle, climbs up to Paderne castle, the promotional video fulfills its mission: to awaken in those who see it the desire to discover this territory, spread across the interior of three municipalities – Loulé, Albufeira and Silves – and that so many booking surprises.
«The territory will be the touchstone in the coming times, because it is in the territory and in the people who live there that everything is rooted. This film leaves an invitation to return to the territory and value those who live there», added Nuno Aires.
The film is the first communication piece of what will be, when approved by UNESCO, as expected, «the most Southwestern geopark in Europe». The other piece, which was also presented on Wednesday, is the website. But there will be others.
The future geopark website, accessible here, was presented by Marta Caetano, from the project's communication and image team, who insisted on stressing that “the page has, behind it, the work of many, many people”.
By the way, Dália Paulo, municipal director of the Loulé Chamber, one of the initial enthusiasts of the project, had already pointed out that there are «almost fifty people from the three municipalities involved in this project». In fact, he explained, it is «an orchestral work, in which our conductor is teacher Cristina Veiga-Pires».
As regards website, it is a website “always under construction, because there will always be new contents to be inserted”, namely in terms of new routes inserted.
With the collaboration of the vast team, which includes technicians from the three Chambers involved in the project - Loulé, Albufeira and Silves - as well as the University of Algarve and its Center for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA), in addition to other specialists, the website is designed to be useful and easy to use. Vasco Célio's photographs are an important complement to make us dream of visiting all those places, people and activities, so well portrayed.
A main star of this aspiring geopark – and who gives it its name – is the oo Metoposaurus algarvensis, a kind of giant salamander, in other words, an amphibian that lived in the Penina area, in the interior of the municipality of Loulé, no more, no less than 227 million years ago. It was from the recent discovery of your fossil (which is now featured piece at the Museum of Loulé) we started to imagine this geopark.
But the others stars, no less brilliant, are the territory itself – with such diverse landscapes and heritage – and, above all, the people who live and work there. Hence, one of the mottos of this project is, precisely, that “geoparks are for people and with people”.
That's why, both in the promotional video, on the project's website or facebook page, alongside the geological aspects and landscapes, what stands out are the faces and hands of those who make, live and smile in these parts of the interior of the Algarve.
As explained, “a Geopark is a territorial area with clearly defined boundaries, which includes a remarkable geological heritage, associated with a strategy for the sustainable development of the territory. It is a place of identity, inspiring, transforming and belonging, which invites you to visit, settle and invest in a conscious way and in harmony with the environmental and cultural values of the territories. It is, in short, a happy way of being and living the territory and bequeathing it to future generations!»
The municipalities of Loulé, Silves and Albufeira are working on the application of the aspiring Geopark Algarvensis to UNESCO World Geopark. The importance of this candidacy resides «in the enhancement of the geological heritage of the territory, promoting local sustainable development, with the essential involvement of the community, intervening agent and ambassador of this project».
Dália Paulo, who was also there representing Vítor Aleixo, president of the municipality, recalled that "there are still two years of work until the candidacy is submitted" to UNESCO.
And he added that this is "a work that is done with people." Hence, in 2021, he announced, one of the tasks is to create a network of geopartners, a kind of ambassadors in the territory who receive the visitors that the geopark will inevitably attract, but who also take advantage of the existence of this structure themselves.
José Carlos Rolo, Mayor of Albufeira, underlined that this was a «fundamental project to enhance the interior», namely «the daily life of the interior». "I see the geopark as a great challenge, a great opportunity to enhance the interior", reinforced the mayor.
The process, he stressed, is "very slow". “But that only means that it is properly analyzed and prepared”, which is an asset. «When one day we have the UNESCO seal here, it will be an added value to enhance the interior and balance a little tourist movements», who have particularly preferred the coast, said the mayor from Albufeires.
Rosa Palma, mayor of Silves, hosted the launch of these two fundamental pieces of communication for the aspiring Geopark Algarvensis, the promotional video and the website. And he began precisely by stressing that «the project involves us all, and it is not just the technical team, it is also the mayors», from the presidents of the three Chambers to the presidents of the Parish Councils, many of them present in the room.
«The territory only gains value if we value its people. And that's why we called us, in this project, the Presidents of the Board», added the mayor of Silves.
Cristina Veiga-Pires, scientific director of the aspiring Geoparque Algarvensis, summarized the work already done in the last year, since the signing of the protocol that formalized the joint project was signed by the presidents of the three municipalities involved.
For now, at the level of Geology and Landscape, they have been compiled 10 geosites, that can be visited, for starters, virtually on the geopark website. These are, underlined that professor at the University of Algarve, «only the first to be released», because there will be more, at least another fifteen.
But the project for the first paleontology laboratory in the Algarve was also created, the Scientific and Advisory Council was created, information and environmental education sessions were promoted with schools (despite the restrictions caused by the pandemic), and the norms for geopartners were approved.
As for the future, Cristina Veiga-Pires pointed out as the main objective the creation of the Associação Aspirante Geoparque Algarvensis, which brings together all participating entities. Interestingly, a year ago, when the protocol was signed, this was already the project aimed at the future.
The objective is also, as mentioned above, to submit the candidacy for UNESCO World Geopark to the forum of this United Nations body, which should take place in 2022.
Finally, it is necessary to "work with people in the territory", even to involve them in a project that will not depend on political cycles, nor on this or that entity.
The mayor of Silves summed up what is intended, in a straightforward way: “this is not the project of Rosa Palma, Rolo or Vítor Aleixo. Not! It's a project for everyone and with continuity!».
And because these strange times we live in invite to walks in the open air, why not accept the suggestion of nine discovery routes that are already available on the website? In this long weekend, because you will not be able to circulate between councils, the privileged will be the inhabitants of the municipalities of Loulé, Silves or Albufeira, where these nine routes are located. But, soon, everyone will be able to set out to discover, on these and other routes, the richness and geological specificity, traditions and heritage, landscapes and people. The invitation is made.
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