Langkawi, 1st December 2021 – Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) in collaboration with Langkawi Research Centre (PPL Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) and Friends of Langkawi Geopark (FLAG) organised Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark (LUGGp) Sustainability Forum 2021 for two days on 1st and 2nd December 2021 at Aloft Langkawi. Setting forth the theme “Community Empowerment Towards Shared Prosperity”, this forum served as a medium to nurture commitment and encourage involvement of local community in LUGGp for fulfilling positive changes in geopark territory.
Six themes had been chosen for the hosting of this forum, namely Heritage Conservation, Public Education, Geotourism Products, Community Involvement, Geopark Business (Geopark Products), and Sustainable Development.
“LADA targets active involvement of stakeholders in LUGGp management to gather information and views, aside from also examining the effectiveness of programmes that have been organised. These will be the foundation in expanding the roadmap, plan, and strategy of LUGGp’s future development. Well done to LADA for staying vigilant and emerging as the driving force behind LUGGp’s success and progress,” said YB Datuk Seri Takiyuddin bin Hassan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources (KeTSA).
He also added, “Today, we will be launching two new initiatives in LUGGp namely the One Tourist One Tree (1T1T) Nature Conservation Project, a collaboration between Langkawi Forestry Office and LADA as well as Projek Orang Langkawi (Langkawi Locals Project) which involve all communities on the island. The 1T1T Nature Conservation Project is an initiative to conserve and preserve flora in Langkawi by targeting the planting of 100 million trees over 5-year span, whereas Projek Orang Langkawi is a community project launched by a group of young art activists supported by LADA that collects life stories on effort, hope, and perseverance of unsung heroes in Langkawi. The latter would thus help illustrate the beauty of heritage and tradition practised by locals of the island.”
Commenting on the forum’s organising, YBrs. Nasaruddin Abdul Muttalib, LADA’s Chief Executive Officer said, “The forum aims to involve 150 strategic partners of LUGGp comprising local community, activists in the fields of art, culinary, and education, enforcement and implementing agencies in development of Langkawi, tourism industry players, expert groups, and technical agencies supporting geopark development in Malaysia. This is in line with the efforts to involve Langkawi residents since local community is also a geopark component. Hence, they are also entitled to develop it as well.”
He further added, “Langkawi is a unique tourism island proudly bestowed with the special status of a UNESCO Global Geopark. LADA is optimistic that the number of tourist entries into the island will increase with the strategic and dynamic initiative of empowering the community in tandem with development and sustainability of mother nature here. Until 26th November 2021, Langkawi has received a total of 402,821 tourists, hence we are also convinced that with the benefits of Naturally Langkawi tagline and UNESCO’s recognition readily acquired, this island will once again become the centre of tourist attractions soon.”
May the forum organised and the strategic collaboration established between LADA, Langkawi Research Centre (PPL Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia), and Friends of Langkawi Geopark (FLAG) support Langkawi to stay relevant as the main UNESCO Global Geopark resource centre, accordingly inspiring other nations in the Asia-Pacific region.
