On 22 September, the Aggtelek National Park Directorate together with the Slovak State Nature Protection organised an international scientific conference on the Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst Research and Conservation Programme.
The triple jubilee celebrations:
- Aggtelek National Park turned30 years old
- Aggtelek National Park and the Slovak Karst together celebrated 20 years as a World Heritage Site
- UNESCO reached its 70 year milestone.
took place in the Baradla Cave Concert Hall.
The event was under the patronage of the János Áder, President of the Republic of Hungary and Andrej Kiska , President of the Slovak Republic. János Áder quoted Pope Francis when he said,
"The natural environment is for the common good, mankind’s heritage, and everyone’s responsibility.” The head of state went on to say that, “Those who live here know exactly what a unique treasure lies hidden below in the depths. The decision twenty years ago by UNESCO proved that it is not only the two countries’, but the world's heritage."
He also recognised that since a stalactite grows only 4 millimetres every 20 years, the process that created such unrivalled beauty in the Baradla Cave took millions of years. However, measured in human terms, even 20 years is significant. He pointed out that over the past two decades experts from both countries have shared their professional passions and have worked together to develop joint projects using common approaches to reach common goals.
