Islands in focus: Riau to host biosphere meeting

PEKANBARU: Riau will host the South-South Cooperation Meeting scheduled to run from Oct. 3 to 8.

The UNESCO-sponsored workshop will feature participants from 17 countries, that have been designated as world biosphere reserves.

Indonesia is among three countries, the other two being Brazil and Congo, which have the biggest biosphere reserves.

The meeting, which was first held in Congo, aims to shed light on environmental issues, including the use of biospheres. Brazil has been appointed to organize the following session.

“The government has appointed Riau as the host province because one of the seven biosphere reserves is here,” Tengku Dahril, an official of Riau administration, said on Friday.

Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan is scheduled to launch the meeting officially. The participants will be invited to visit designated biosphere reserve Giam Siak Kecil.