Third UNESCO Award for INTEWO project

Third UNESCO Award for INTEWO project

The GPS-Adventure Park in the Teutoburger Forest / Eggegebirge Nature Park, the GPS-trails of the Lippe district, the Nature Trails at the Externsteine monument, the “Exquisite Nature” in the Höxter district as well as the Muscat Geotourism Guide have been awarded (again) as an official project of the UN Decade “Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014” (ESD).

Having been awarded in 2008/2009 and 2011/2012, the GPS Adventure Park concept is receiving this prestigious UNESCO award again, following a successful application by the project partners. “Receiving this award for the third time shows that we are on the right track” says the Head of the Lippe district Friedel Heuwinkel.

“Being awarded, again, is a great appreciation and motivation to continue with future innovative features of the project” said Henning Schwarze, project initiator and Managing Partner at INTEWO. The new UN award documents the success and the continued development of the project. In recent months, new applications for the Android and iOS operating systems were published and a new project website had been developed. “With support of innovative applications and with the introduction of new media, we can promote our points if interests and attractions even better” adds Günter Weigel, Executive Board Lippe Tourism & Marketing AG.

The United Nations had proclaimed the goal for the ESD Decade “to anchor the principles of sustainable development in all areas of education.” The GPS Adventure Park is using innovative features to motivate in particular a younger audience to learn more about nature and culture.

Ford Environmental Grant

Dr. Benno Böer (UNESCO Doha), Mr. Khalid Nassr Al-Toubi (INTEWO) and Mr. Hussein Murad (Ford Middle East) during the award ceremony in Dubai

INTEWO | World Habitat Society GmbH and National Earth Secrets LLC have been awarded with the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grant 2011. „The Geological Heritage of Oman“ is the title of the project, which is among this year’s laureates of the prestige Environmental Grant.

Since 2009 the German and Oman companies cooperate in different activities, developing sustainable geotourism and environmental education in the Sultanate. The comprehensive concept is aiming towards promoting and conserving the unique geological heritage in Oman, with performing different project features. Key elements of the project include the development of a GPS-based geotourism guide for the Muscat region, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism; the support of a cooperation between partners from the Nature Park Teutoburger Wald / Eggegebirge, promoting tourism and education for sustainable development; an annual student exchange with tourism students from Sultan Qaboos University; a geological movie project in Oman, in cooperation with the University of Applied Science Ostwestfalen-Lippe; and other activities supporting the rapprochement of cultures and promoting the German-Oman cooperation.

With support of the Ford Environmental Grant another ambitious project will be initiated. Key geological attractions in Oman will be exposed in a „Virtual Museum of Geology“. With support of latest technology high quality panorama images of selected geological hot spots will be produced and exhibited in an online museum, where one will be able to discover the hidden secrets of geology. Complemented with comprehensive information, the virtual museum will allow access to inaccessible locations and will provide knowledge about fascinating geological and geomorphological processes.

Ford‘s Conservation & Environmental Grants programme has become an annual event in the Middle East. Since its inception in 2000, the GCC/Levant chapter of the grants programme has supported at least 130 projects with more than US-$1 million granted to date. The programme has seen support from various governmental and non-governmental environmental authorities including the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Emirates Wildlife Society and the Arab Forum for Environment & Development (AFED). In 2011, the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants programme joined hands with the UNESCO, providing support to creative projects focused on Conservation Engineering, Protection of the Natural Environment and Environmental Education.

The award ceremony took place in Dubai and was performed by representatives from the UNESCO Doha Office and Ford Middle East. The keynote speech was held by the guest of honor, H.H. Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi, member of the ruling family of the Emirate of Ajman, also know as the „Green Sheikh“.

INTEWO | World Habitat Society’s Managing Partner, Mr. Henning Schwarze and National Earth Secret’s CEO, Mr. Khalid Nasser Al Toubi received the award on behalf of the joint international program.