National Conference on Paleontology and Development Opportunities of Maragheh
The Second National Conference on Ancient Biodiversity and the 15th Conference of the Iranian Archaeological Association, which will be held in Maragheh from tomorrow, June 23, with the presence and speeches of local and foreign thinkers, will provide opportunities for the development of this ancient city; Opportunities that need the guidance and follow-up of local officials.
According to IRNA, 14 conferences have already been held in the provinces and prestigious universities of the country, and Maragheh has hosted this event due to the high capacity of the city’s fossil zone. .
Accordingly, it seems that the way officials deal with the holding of this national conference and the impact that its holding can have on the development process of the city, should be examined and planned for.
In this article you will read:
An opportunity to revive the Geopark Tracking and Registration Working Group in the Fossil Zone
The presence of officials and thinkers in the field of paleontology in Maragheh provides a unique opportunity to convene a meeting for the Geopark Registration Working Group, especially since Dr. Abbas Ghaderi, President of the Archaeological Association, as one of the speakers on the first day of this national conference. Maragheh has emphasized.
“The Maragheh fossil region is one of the five most important and valuable vertebrate fossil regions in the world and has the potential to be registered as an international geopark,” he said.
Dr. Ghaderi also points out the importance of national and global registration of Maragheh fossil region as a geopark: fossil geosites, wherever they are in the world, are considered and the importance of introducing and exploiting them properly helps the process of territorial development.
He considers the existence of valuable vertebrate fossil capacity for the city of Maragheh and East Azerbaijan Province as a great blessing and potential capital that deserves more attention from various staff and academic institutions and efforts to attract investment in order to develop tourism.
According to the president of the Iranian Archaeological Association, such a valuable capacity, which is unparalleled in other countries in the region and has few similar cases in the world, requires further study and introduction and the creation of various geosites in the form of an important global geopark.
Dr. Ghaderi emphasizes: Maragheh fossil geosite alone has scientific, tourism, developmental and economic value and Maragheh region can be introduced as the fourth national geopark of Iran and be considered in the world.
The head of the Iranian Archaeological Association stated: The registration of the geopark can be the center of Maragheh development and local and provincial officials should pay more attention to this valuable scientific capacity; Also, considering that there is experience in registering Aras Geopark in East Azerbaijan, this experience can be used for optimal use of the southern slopes of Sahand.
The head of the Maragheh Environment Department also says: “Several years ago, a working group was set up to track and register the geopark in the fossil region of Maragheh, and a meeting was held, but the lack of follow-up and support caused it to be forgotten.”
Gholamreza Zare, stating that holding this national conference provides an opportunity to revive this working group, said: The working group is chaired by the governor and its secretary is the environment, and some other executive bodies are also members.
An opportunity for Maragheh higher education centers
The Deputy Minister of Science and the Head of the Student Affairs Organization emphasized on February 26, last year, at the inauguration ceremony of the current President of Maragheh University, that ” And regional titles such as “Maragheh, the paradise of paleontologists” must be answered.
“Hashem Dadashpour” emphasized that Maragheh University should find its place in the national environment and meet local needs, said: This university can meet global needs in addition to the region; For example, in response to the demands of local officials, if a foreign student attends the University of Maragheh, he should be attracted only because of the local and special capacities of this ancient city, including the fossil region.
He reminded Maragheh officials that a foreign student will choose to study at the University of Maragheh when it uses the university’s special capacities, which is referred to as the “paradise of the world’s paleontologists”.
Accordingly, the presence of paleontologists in the field provides an opportunity for the deans of the universities of this city to literally meet the needs of the world in addition to the region.
According to Dr. Ghaderi, President of the Iranian Archaeological Association, “Establishing and strengthening special scientific institutions and launching scientific disciplines related to paleontology in the city’s universities, in addition to training students and leading the elite, will lead to the establishment of a scientific authority in the region.” The revival of the city of Maragheh is considered as one of the important scientific centers of Iran.
An opportunity to introduce the capacities of the Maragheh fossil region in the media
Hosting Maragheh from the 2nd National Conference on Ancient Biodiversity and the 15th Conference of the Iranian Archaeological Association provides a unique opportunity for the capacity of the Maragheh fossil region in mass media and social networks. Was local and formed a media working group to cover this national event.
According to IRNA, the high density of vertebrate fossils of seven to nine million years old has turned the Maragheh fossil region into a paradise for paleontologists, and the mysterious world of animals such as elephants, giraffes, sword-toothed tigers, cows, deer, rhinos and horses is ahead of paleontologists. have given.
According to experts, the fossil region of Maragheh is of special importance in terms of paleontological storage and study of the ancient geography of the “Eurasia” plate, so that with new exploration and extraction, the scientific and global capacities of this region can be introduced more than before.
According to geologists and paleontologists, the fossils of animals extracted from the Maragheh fossil record are linked to their early ancestors in Africa, making paleontological studies in the metropolis even more interesting, as is the country’s paleontological research center. It is located in Maragheh.
The head of Maragheh Environmental Protection Department also says about this attractiveness and special importance of the fossil region of this city: Maragheh fossil region is located in the migration routes of mammals of the Cenozoic period, ie migration routes between Europe, Africa and East Asia. It has increased its importance in the Azerbaijani strip, especially in the Maragheh geosite.
According to Zare, the high density of fossil parts per unit volume of fossil lenses, the wide distribution of vertebrate fossil lenses in an area of about 40,000 hectares, the high diversity of animal species in drilled lenses and relatively easy access to vertebrate fossil lenses and proper preservation of fossil parts In Maragheh site, compared to other vertebrate fossil sites in the world, its importance has been increased.
An opportunity to resume executive operations at the country’s paleontological research center
The National Steering Council of the Maragheh Fossil Zone has been revived after a seven-year hiatus in the 13th government, which promises good days for the city. Be a country.
According to the head of the Maragheh Environment Department, based on the decision of the National Steering Council of the Fossil Zone last year, 35 billion rials were allocated for the completion of the paleontological center and nearly 10 billion rials for the purchase of equipment. Effectively follow up.
Undoubtedly, due to the special place of vertebrate fossils in the world, a national will can strengthen paleontological research in Maragheh and complete the project of the Center for Archaeological Research and Biodiversity Research, excavation, extraction and conservation of fossil layers in accordance with international standards. The conference in Maragheh provides a unique opportunity for coordination and demand.
According to IRNA, the national conference will be held in Maragheh for three days from tomorrow, and the Deputy Minister of Natural Environment and Biodiversity of the Environment Organization, the President of the Iranian Archaeological Association, the Governor of East Azerbaijan and a number of other officials will speak at the opening ceremony.