Scientific Meeting between Dean of Higher Institute for Regional Planning and Managers of the Italian National Park (Parco Nazionale della Maiella)

 Dean of Higher Institute for Regional Planning, Dr. Ghada Bilal, had a meeting with managers of the Italian National Park of Maiella (parco national della Maiella). The meeting was attended by President of the Park, Lucio Zazzara from the University of Pescara; Director of the Park, Luciano De Martino, in addition to researchers and technical experts working in the park laboratories. This comes within the framework of the two agreements signed between the Park and the Governorate of Damascus for the purpose of enhancing scientific and academic cooperation.

During the meeting, Dr. Ghada Bilal and the specialized experts gave lectures and presentations on water resources management in the Mediterranean region in relation to “Barada” Research Project. The latest developments that can be relied upon to achieve the best results in geological, hydrogeological and biodiversity studies were also presented. The meeting discussed the possibility of working towards UNESCO's procedures for the inclusion of Barada River in the list of tangible and intangible natural heritage.

The park management and researchers presented at the meeting the park’s own methodologies in the regional study and the stages it took to become a UNESCO Global Geopark, in addition to some criteria for European and Italian legislation regarding the conservation of biodiversity.

The meeting concluded with the necessity of sharing this research presented by the park’s researchers with Damascus University and publishing it in the university’s journal, in addition to enhancing the exchange of academic expertise, research and scientific participation with the Higher Institute for Regional Planning, enhancing technical cooperation with Damascus Governorate, and a visit by experts from the Italian side to Syria in the near future.

Maiella National Park in Italy is located in the Apennine Mountains, sitting on more than 60 peaks in the Maiella mountains. It stretches over 740 square kilometers, encompassing one of the most ancient geological and archeological sites in Europe.