Project background:
Till now, about twenty ?environmental conservation and local communities? empowerment? projects have been implemented and successfully done by GEF SGP?s support. Projects which all have been done by power of local people hands and their participation, so local communities call these projects as a mutual one with GEF SGP.

Like every other Geo-park all around the world, one of the most important aims for Qeshm Island Geopark, is preserving and conserving geological heritages of global importance through local communities? empowerment. As the Geopark, was the only Geopark that was accepted as part of the Global UNESCO Geopark Network, and recently it lost the status- although a lot of hard work had initiated for its protection- according to past success experiences of GEF SGP projects in Qeshm Island, ?training and empowering local communities for Island west villages (the most far ones) getting help from trained and local active people and emphasizing on the Art for

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Conservation, technologies developed in SGP including artificial reefs and Biodiesel from Waste oil, eco-architecture and etc. in Qeshm Geo-park territory and in its vicinity. Participatory management is a key factor for Geo-park, so this project will prepare women to participate in handicrafts sectors after the project and begin to play role in Geo-park managing. It means this project will train women to become either artist or manager. This is important that, even this project will be managed as a participatory project in which ?village deans?, ?Salakh Fishermen Cooperative Corporation?, ?Qeshm Development Assistant Women Institute? and Qeshm Geo-park management will play role in the project to be managed.

Project activities include:

? Empowering more far villages? people and attracting their participation.
? Setting up secondary, livelihood assistant focusing on the local knowledge and local districting.
? Improving sustainable Ecotourism/Geotourism in west part of the Island.
? Empowering geo-parks? local women society in handicraft sector management for participating in Geo-park management
? Better managing energy by working on indigenous architecture and eco architecture and utilizing renewable energies
? Helping local communities to make their lives better through development and livelihoods
? Getting help from trained and local active people from other GEF SGP innovations like Art for Conservation, technologies developed including artificial reefs and Biodiesel from Waste oil, eco-architecture and etc.

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