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The European Heritage Days 2024 were held on 21 and 22 September, providing the public with the opportunity to visit UNESCO’s premises and admire its extensive collection of artworks. This year, the central theme of the event at UNESCO was ‘Routes through Natural Heritage’. In this context, the Earth Network project, supported by the Italian government, played a significant role as part of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme.

The Earth Network project enhances the existing network of over 2,000 UNESCO-designated sites worldwide, including World Heritage sites, biosphere reserves, and Global Geoparks. Throughout the event, the project focused on critical issues such as managing local challenges related to biodiversity and promoting its conservation alongside natural heritage.

One of the key events was the project's participation in the UNESCO CAMPUS on Friday, 20 September, under the theme ‘Acting to preserve our heritage: a campus to inspire young people to tackle the challenges of safeguarding our natural heritage’. During this event, students from various schools engaged in discussions with experts, including Hélène Le Brun, a representative of the MAB programme and the Earth Network project, and Joan de la Malla, an award-winning wildlife photographer and biologist who is working on the project.

During her presentation, Hélène emphasised the vital role of science in understanding the environment and developing practical, local solutions to preserve ecosystems. She highlighted the interconnection between various scientific disciplines—encompassing natural, social, human, and applied sciences—and their significance in addressing environmental challenges through the promotion of biodiversity conservation.

As part of the heritage days, UNESCO inaugurated a photographic exhibition titled ‘The Earth Network: Solutions for Biodiversity’, curated by Joan de la Malla. This exhibition offers a unique visual journey into the world’s biodiversity, showcasing the richness of ecosystems and the connections that unite us with nature. Through his striking images, the photographer invites the public to contemplate the necessity for action to conserve our natural heritage. Open to the public until mid-October, the exhibition features photographs taken for both the Earth Network project and other UNESCO initiatives that Joan has contributed to, serving as a compelling call to mobilise efforts for conservation.

On Saturday, Le Brun and de la Malla took part in a meeting with UNESCO visitors, where they discussed the Earth Network project and its efforts to mobilise experts in support of Member States and communities striving to achieve their biodiversity goals. They also elaborated on the process behind capturing the stunning images documented by Joan and addressed questions from the audience about the significance of these images in raising awareness of biodiversity.

On Sunday, both participated in a panel discussion with Matthieu Guevel, Director of Communications at UNESCO, titled ‘Artists and scientists: intersecting perspectives on biodiversity’. During this session, Joan de la Malla reflected on the vital role of raising awareness about the challenges facing biodiversity. He remarked:

These Heritage Days provided an excellent opportunity to explore the wonders and challenges of natural heritage on a global scale. The event created an ideal platform to engage the public with the Earth Network project, facilitating discussions on pressing environmental issues and UNESCO-designated sites. It also heightened awareness and sparked debate on biodiversity conservation, advocating for a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. Initiatives like the Earth Network are paving the way for reconciling humanity with the natural world and restoring the connections damaged by overexploitation and environmental degradation.