Yesterday, June 30, 2026, at the Meteora Natural History Museum and Mushroom Museum, the Memorandum of Cooperation and Understanding for the promotion of the Meteora–Pili Geopark was signed between the Thessaly Regional Development Agency “THESSALOMA S.A.,” as the Coordinating Body of the Meteora–Pili Geopark – Pyli and the Museum.
The purpose of this Protocol is to establish a framework for cooperation among the contracting parties, with the common goal of protecting, highlight, and promote the Meteora–Pili Geopark region, which has been a member of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network since 2024.
A key focus of the Geopark’s operations is the development of geotourism, nature-based activities, and sustainable forms of tourism, which contribute to employment, local production, and the creation of new business opportunities, while simultaneously promoting an understanding of contemporary challenges, such as the climate crisis, natural disasters, and others.
The signed document acknowledges that “the Geopark and the Geopartner (i.e., the Museum) share a common basis for cooperation, as both serve objectives related to the protection and promotion of natural heritage, the dissemination of knowledge and raising awareness about the environment and ecosystems, sustainable tourism, local cuisine, and actively connecting visitors with the region.”
As part of the signing ceremony, the Geopark awarded the Museum the corresponding “Local Quality Seal,” which is granted to Geo-Partners following an evaluation of the standards set by the Geopark itself for its partners.
It should be noted here that the Museum is at the highest level of compliance, which corresponds to meeting 85–100% of the standards.
On behalf of the Geopark, the memorandum was signed by Mr. Grigorios Papacharalambous , CEO of the Organization “THESSALOMA S.A.” as the Geopark’s Coordinating Body, who emphasized the “shared commitment of the two partners to the promotion and sustainable development of our region’s unique natural and cultural heritage.”
The museum’s director signed on behalf of the museum, mr. Nikos Pallas , who stated that “it is a great honor for the Museum to be selected as the first Geo-Partner” and emphasized that “we are committed to working consistently to promote the Geopark as an international model of sustainable development and tourism excellence.”
The Mayor of Meteora, Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos, also took the floor, emphasizing that “the Museum’s collaboration with the Geopark will contribute to the protection and promotion of our region’s identity,” while the Mayor of Pyli, Mr. Konstantinos Maravas, through his representative, stated that the signing of the memorandum will contribute “to highlighting the region’s unique natural, geological, and cultural wealth.”
It was mentioned at the event that in early September, the two partners will announce a program of joint actions for 2027, with the first step being the Pan-Hellenic Truffle Festival, to be held in Kalambaka on June 25–27, 2027, with a different format and content than in previous years.
The event was also attended by representatives of environmental organizations from European countries, who were given a guided tour of the museum.
