In the spring of 2024, UNESCO, a specialized agency of the United Nations, visited Mikkeli to evaluate the activities of Saimaa Geopark. The evaluation was approved during a UNESCO meeting in Vietnam, allowing Saimaa Geopark to retain its UNESCO Global Geopark status for the next four years.
Jouni Riihelä, Mikkeli’s Director of Urban Development and a board member of Saimaa Geopark, expressed satisfaction with the evaluation process and its approval.
“In the coming years, Saimaa Geopark will focus on business collaboration, development, and increasing awareness among residents and schoolchildren about the uniqueness of our region”, Riihelä explained.
Riihelä emphasized that the UNESCO Global Geopark status is the result of long-term efforts.
“We have been doing the right things here on the shores of Lake Saimaa. UNESCO also recognizes the value of the work done here. The status should, in part, strengthen the self-esteem of the people in the region. UNESCO has certified our heritage, this ancient landscape, thousands of years old, which will continue to tell its story as long as we take care of our environment.”
According to Riihelä, the challenge moving forward is how the Saimaa region can turn the status into tourism revenue and develop vitality together with local entrepreneurs.
“Hopefully, the UNESCO Global Geopark status will be more boldly visible in marketing. It is clearly an attractive factor for tourism in the area.”
With the status, Saimaa Geopark, now known as Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark, unites Saimaa’s stunning natural sites, charming hiking trails, and historical cultural landmarks, which are must-see experiences for nature tourists visiting Saimaa.
The central mission of Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark is to preserve and promote the unique geology, nature, and culture of the Saimaa Geopark area, both locally, nationally, and internationally. It also aims to foster sustainable development and grow the Saimaa Geopark brand. Additionally, it seeks to strengthen the local population’s knowledge, appreciation, identity, and vitality regarding their homeland.
Mikkeli’s Saimaa Geopark sites include Kaihunharju, the Pursiala glacial pothole, Mikkelipuisto park, Naisvuori’s scenic cliffs, Astuvansalmi rock paintings, the Porrassalmi museum road, and the Urpola Nature Center, which also serves as the Saimaa Geopark Visitor Center during the summer. Each Geopark site has information and signage in the field about the location.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) grants the status to areas of international significance. The status recognizes that these sites meet international criteria and is awarded for four years at a time.