LOC23:13
20:13 GMT
KUWAIT, Dec 13 (KUNA) -- Minister of Information and Culture Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi said the land of Kuwait Geopark project was distinctive and the focus would be placed on how to turn it into a tourist attraction.
"Through this project we will turn challenges into opportunities for all stakeholders who will share success," Al-Mutairi, also minister of state for youth affairs, said during an inspection tour of the site on Saturday.
The Ministry of Information supervises the project which is being implemented by Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) in collaboration with Touristic Enterprises Company and Kuwait Geosciences Society as well as other state bodies.
The minister said his meeting today with representatives of the government bodies and the private sector aimed to ensure integrated implementation of this very important initiative.
"The project, which reflects the distinctive geological, climatic and environmental characteristics of Kuwait and the Gulf states in general, envisages launching a variety of tourist-attractive activities," Al-Mutairi went on.
Kuwait Geopark is an ambitious initiative through which the Ministry of Information seeks to expand partnerships with government and non-government actors and open new horizons for the touristic system of the country, the minister added.
Meanwhile, KOC's Deputy CEO for Planning and Innovation Mohammad Khalifa Al-AbdulJaleel said the site of Kuwait Geopark had exceptional historical and archaeological significance.
"It dates back to the Ubaid period (c. 5500-4900 BC) which is a prehistoric period featuring the rise of civilization and early human settlement in the West Asia and the Gulf region," Al-AbdulJaleel pointed out.
He added that KOC took charge of the construction and development of the Geopark project thanks to its long technical experience and national role in backing the cultural and environmental projects.
Located to the north of Kuwait Joon (bay), the site includes striking landscapes from the Martian-like outcrops in Subiya desert to escarpments in Jal Az-Zor, which provides ground for listing it on UNESCO Global Geoparks. (end)
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