Dear Colleagues

We are all shocked by this huge Earthquake disaster which hurt China.

We all think and pray for the victims, the Sichuan province citizens and the people of China who suffer this endless tragedy.

Geopark people all over the Global think also our colleagues in the Chinese Geoparks.

China has announced three days of national mourning as the official death toll from the devastating May 12 earthquake rises to 34,073. Geoparks all over the Global participate in the mourning.

From the first day we all watch at the news the effort against time of the Chinese Rescue Corps, soldiers and citizens together with volunteers from International Rescue Corps who had been working round the clock to pull bodies from collapsed buildings.

Seven days after the main quake of 8.0 magnitude rattled Sichuan province, we are worried by the aftershocks and the build up of water in blocked rivers.

In front of this huge tragedy all Geopark people feel the duty to react in order to find ways to help our Chinese colleagues and to sensitise our communities on Natural Hazards.

• Today at 14:28, one week after the earthquake struck Sichuan province, in all European Geoparks, we had hold three minutes silence for the victims.
• We think for our colleagues in China and we try to find the best way to help
• We will use the opportunity of the European Geoparks Week organized in all European Geoparks from May 23 to June 8 to sensitise our communities on Natural Disasters.

Our thoughts and our heart is with the Chinese people……

For the European Geoparks Network

Nickolas Zouros

EGN Coordinator