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The first webinar entitled “UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks: Policies, Programme & Designation Process” held on October 27 2020, falls within the 2020 plan of activities to strengthen the Arab MAB Network.  The webinar organized by the UNESCO Regional Office for Science in the Arab States in Cairo, addressed the Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme, the concept of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and the designation process and nomination dossier.  The webinar hosted virtually around 50 participants from all the relevant sectors in Member States in the Arab Region. The presentations shed the light on the importance of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in biodiversity conservation, improving local livelihoods and promoting sustainable development at local level as well as supporting countries in the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). Case studies were presented to demonstrate and pinpoint to the economic value of these sites for local and national economy.  The direct and indirect values of ecosystem services were highlighted as well as their benefit to society at local and national levels.  The last session of the webinar opened the ground for the countries to propose list of sites having the potential to be designated as UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Participants from each member states presented rapidly sites characteristics and features. The webinar also brought a rapid check on the difference between Biosphere Reserves and Geoparks and launched a call to action to strengthen the ArabMAB network, bring new UNESCO Biosphere Reserves to join the network, to foster cooperation and sharing of experience. 

The second webinar entitled “UNESCO Geoparks: Programmes & Ways to Preserve and Manage the Geological Heritage” was organized by UNESCO Regional Office for Science in the Arab States in Cairo on November 3, 2020.  The webinar focused on the global aspects of geological heritage conservation while tapping on the foundation of the Global Geopark Network and its history presented by Prof. Nikolas ZOUROS – Global Geoparks Network President. It presented UNESCO Global Geoparks concept and their designation process by Dr. Elsa Sattout – Programme Specialist of the Ecology and Earth Sciences Programme. The webinar attended by 60 participants from relevant sectors in countries from the Region is part of the 2020 Agenda of the EES Programme. It was organized in the context of its endeavor to push forward the establishment of the Arab Geopark Network. The various steps involving the submission of the nomination dossier including the letter of intent, timeline and the components of the nomination dossier were presented. The webinar offered a space to Member States representatives to present a list of UNESCO Aspiring Global Geoparks (Uaggp) with their characteristics and features with the aim to build up the Uaggp list in the Arab region and to support countries in their designation. The webinar was closed with a second call to action to work on the preparedness of these sites to promote the protection of the geological heritage in the Arab Region.