[Unpad.ac.id, 16/04/2016] 21 women will participated in Kartini Goes to Ciletuh Geopark event as part of campaigning for Ciletuh to be a tourist destination in Sukabumi Regency West Java. This members and friends of Palawa Universitas Padjadjaran trip will be hold on 15-17 April 2016.
“Seizing the moment of Kartini Day, we will explore the Ciletuh Geopark and provide counseling to visitors in order to maintain cleanliness and environmental sustainability. To the locals, we will campaign the need to welcome travelers in friendly manner and provide best hospitality service for them who visit Ciletuh, “said Derien Kadarno, the leader of the activity at the departure ceremony in Rectorate Building Jatinangor, Friday (5/04) afternoon.
Furthermore Derien said that the team consists of all women from different professional background. 17 of them are members of the Palawa Unpad while the other 4 are friends who shares similar concern for environmental sustainability.
Dean of Faculty of Geology Engineering Unpad, Dr. Vijaya Isnaniawardhani, Ir., MT., said that Unpad current research directions are to provide direct benefit to the community. “Hopefully, this can contribute directly to the community and bring the good name of Unpad,” said Dr. Vijaya whom by Rector was appointed as the team leader for the development of Sukabumi.
Geopark Ciletuh
Head of Geopark and Geological Disaster Research Center Unpad Prof. Mega Fatimah Rosana, PhD., explained that Unpad in cooperation with Department of Energy and Mineral Resources West Java has begun its research in Ciletuh since 2005. By 2014 government of Sukabumi regency began to develop Ciletuh Geopark area.
Last November 2015, Ciletuh Geopark was officially named as National Geopark by Indonesia National Committee for UNESCO and Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. Now Ciletuh Geopark is set to be officiated as International Geopark Internasional or Global Geopark by 2017.
“Indonesia has 6 geoparks, 4 of them are national geopark. The other two has been officiated as international geoparks; one in Gunung Batur Bali and in Gunung Sewu,” said Prof. Mega.
Nevertheless, Prof. Mega added, the efforts to achieve international geopark status are not the ultimate goal of Unpad involvement in introducing Ciletuh region.
“The theme of Geopark Ciletuh is ‘Glorifying Earth, Providing Welfare for Society’. Therefore we hope that with growing recognition of natural preservation Ciletuh will be more known and the people will become more prosperous, “said Prof. Mega.
National Geographic Indonesia wrote that National Geopark Ciletuh in Sukabumi, West Java, is a natural tourism area painted with beautiful scenery. Surrounded by green hills, this geopark region also has a waterfall between rock cliffs. Natural rock contained in this geopark is the result of sedimentation of various fossils, faults, and a slab of earth from tens of millions of years ago.*
Reported by Erman
