Seocheon City celebrated Getbol World Heritage Inscription

On 20th December 2021, Seocheon Getbol World Heritage Inscription Ceremony was held at Seocheon Arts Center to celebrate the monumental achievement of inscribing the Seocheon Tidal Flat as part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site “Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats”. The hybrid event was hosted by Seocheon City Government and aim to raise awareness of the Tidal Flat and World Heritage Site through public relations to the public.

Seocheon Getbol (tidal flat) was unanimously inscribed by the members at the 44th UNESCO World Heritage Committee on 26th July, 2021. Several migratory waterbirds including Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper and the Endangered Far Eastern Curlew use the mudflats around Yubu Island, part of the Seocheon Tidal Flat which is EAAFP Flyway Network Site and Ramsar Site. The  World Heritage inscription is a significant contribution to securing the population of migratory waterbirds and conservation of their habitats in the Flyway.

The ceremony started with congratulatory remarks from Mr. Noh Bakrae, Mayor of Seocheon-gun County, Mr. Lee Woosung, Vice-Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr. Kim Taehim, member of National Assembly, Mr. Na Hakkyun, Chairman of Seocheon-gun, and Mr. Doug Watkins, Chief Executive of EAAFP. The representatives congratulated Seocheon-gun and its citizens and how it is meaningful that Korean Getbol was recognized as UNESCO World Natural Heritage. They shared that it is critical to maintain and protect the value of wetlands, biodiversity, and ecosystem for the next generation. Mr. Noh Bakrae stated that we should make more efforts to ensure that ecosystem conservation and local community development coexist, such as sustainable conservation and utilization of the inscribed World Heritage site and  establishing infrastructure to attract domestic and foreign tourists. Following the remarks, mayors from other cities, Ms. Patricia Zurita, CEO of BirdLife International and Mr. Paul Sullivan, Chief Executive of BirdLife Australia, also sent congratulatory speeches.

The event proceeded with an appreciation plaque and award certificate ceremony for experts and local citizens. Ms. Hyeseon Do, Programme Officer at EAAFP Secretariat received an appreciation plaque for the contribution for making Seocheon Getbol inscribed as World Natural Heritage and supporting the conservation for the site as a representative of the EAAFP Secretariat. The event closed with a traditional dance performance and laser show.

Watch the ceremony recording

Read more about World Natural Heritage sites in the Republic of Korea

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