Période : 24 septembre 2025 au 28 septembre 2025
Lieu : ESEFB
Ville/Région : Agadir, Maroc
Site web /Email de contact : https://sites.google.com/view/icph-9/home
Résumé :
Geoheritage, particularly palaeontological heritage, refers to the geological features, landscapes, and phenomena that hold significant scientific, educational, cultural, or aesthetic value. These features are often preserved and protected due to their importance in understanding Earth's history, processes, and evolution. The protection and enhancement (valorisation) of the natural heritage or geoheritage, particularly palaeontological heritage, is among the main concerns of many countries and institutions around the world, including the United Nations through the UNESCO programs. Morocco has included these goals in a national strategy by adopting, in 2010, the "National Charter for the Environment and Sustainable Development". Certainly, this is a very encouraging step towards the preservation and enhancement of Moroccan geosites, in particular fossiliferous sites, some of which are known worldwide for the diversity and outstanding quality of fossils.
Organizing a congress on palaeontological heritage serves several important purposes: (i) Knowledge Sharing: providing, then, a platform for scientists, researchers, educators, and enthusiasts to share their latest findings, discoveries, and insights in the field of palaeontology. This fosters collaboration and facilitates the exchange of ideas and expertise.
(ii) Conservation and Management: The congress can address conservation issues related to palaeontological sites, including strategies for preserving fossil-bearing formations, mitigating threats such as erosion or habitat destruction (vandalism), and developing sustainable management practices. (iii) Education and Outreach: this congress offers opportunities to educate the public about the significance of palaeontological heritage, the methods and importance of fossil preservation, and the relevance of palaeontological research to understanding Earth's history, biodiversity and life evolution through time. (iv) Policy Development: Discussions at the meeting can inform the development of policies and regulations aimed at protecting palaeontological sites, promoting scientific research, and enhancing public access to fossil resources.
(v) Cultural and Economic Benefits: Palaeontological heritage often holds cultural significance for communities and can also contribute to tourism and local economies. By convening stakeholders, this event can explore ways to leverage palaeontological resources for cultural and economic benefit while ensuring their long-term conservation.
Overall, organising a meeting on Palaeontological heritage provides a forum for advancing scientific knowledge, promoting conservation efforts, fostering public engagement, and enhancing the cultural and economic value of palaeontological resources.
Following the previous Meeting (RIV3P8) held in El Jadida in 2023, it was decided that the 9th edition would take place at Higher School of Education and Training in Berrechid, in 2025. The attendees, together with organising committee, voted during the round table of the cloture ceremony to adopt a new nomenclature to this palaeontological event. The most of the attendees vote for the International Congress on Palaeontological Heritage.
The RIV3P9 is becoming now the ICPH-9, which should be an event dedicated to the palaeontological and palaeoarchaeological heritage to communicate and exchange of novelties in the topics linked with the preservation and enhancement of palaeontological and archaeological heritage.
It will be a meeting place between national and international researchers, socio-economic operators and activists, as well as activists in the legislation of the palaeontological heritage. It is also an opportunity for MSc. And PhD. students and early-career researchers to forge links with the various stakeholders. It would also be a meeting place for the different generations of Moroccan palaeontologists to discuss the purpose of the creation of an association of the Moroccan palaeontologists.
The Higher School of Education and Training of Berrechid and Hassan First University will organise this scientific and cultural event, during September 24 to 28, 2025, within the Reception and Conference Centre, Settat.
