Minister of EMR: Information Center for Toba Lake Caldera National Geopark is The Biggest on the Mountain-Geopark in the World

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

PRESS RELEASE

NUMBER: 009.Pers/04/SJI/2018

Date: January 18th, 2018

Minister of EMR: Information Center for Toba Lake Caldera National Geopark is The Biggest on the Mountain-Geopark in the World

SIMALUNGUN - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ignasius Jonan inaugurated Information Center for Toba Lake Caldera National Geopark in Parapat, Girsang Sipangan Bolon Sub District, Simalungun District, North Sumatra, Thursday (1/18). Not only inaugurating the Geopark Information Center, the Minister also signed a handover document of the Center to the Vice Regent of Simalungan, Amran Sinaga.

The Minister did hope that the Geocenter will be developed as an international-standard Geocenter. "Please, do manage it well. We will assist and support the District Government to fill in and operate the Geocenter. This is one of the biggest on the mountain-geopark in the world. I have never seen such in Europe. Another challenge is to make it as tourism attraction," said Jonan during the speech.

The Government will not only concern about the operation of the Center, but also concern for the infrastructure. "We will improve the infrastructure, the previous 3 hours train from Medan to Siantar will only need 1 hour," continued Jonan.

"The most important challenge is no one could develop it well unless you all living here. We will improve the electricity, infrastructure, and all its supporting facilities, but we have to make the core strong and the core is all of you. If you manage and develop it with the same good quality, then it will be as great as in Europe," explained Jonan.

Meanwhile, the Head of Geological Agency Ministry of EMR, Rudy Suhendar stated that the inauguration was part of the Government effort to hasten the acknowledgement of the world on Toba Lake Caldera as the world geological heritage and deserve to be the member of UNESCO Global Geopark.

Information Center for Toba Lake Caldera National Geopark has various information about historical chronology of super volcanic events forming a volcanic caldera as well as other geological events. Besides, the Center having 17 x 8 meter width will be a good thing to educate the surrounding people and to grow the seed of loves in protecting and preserving geological heritage as well as to raise awareness on how important the nature conservation is.

Toba Lake Caldera was formed due to a great volcanic explosion (catastrophic explosion) in North Sumatra in 74,000 years ago. The explosion caused a quite deep curve in the bottom of the caldera containing water in the maximum depth of 550 meter and 1,130 km2 width. The explosion caused a continuous winter on earth which also caused the death and the extinction of living things. One of geological event after the forming of Caldera was the forming of Samosir Island due to the uplifting of most part of the lake to the surface.

The width of the wall of Toba Lake Caldera reaches for 3,658 km2 spreading in 8 districts in North Sumatra: Samosir District, Toba Samosir District, Dairi District, Karo District, Humbang Hansudutan District, North Tapanuli District, South Tapanuli District, and Simalungun District.

Geopark is an integrated geographic area prioritizing landscape protection and sustainable geological sites as well as keeping the balance of conservation, education, and people's economic welfare. Indonesia is having approximately 40 geo-heritage spreading in several provinces. Besides Toba Caldera Geopark, Indonesia has other geoparks that have been and will be determined as The World Geopark by UNESCO such as Batur Bali Geopark, Gunung Sewu Yogya Geopark - Middle Java - East Java, Merangin Jambi Geopark, Rinjani Geopark West Nusa Tenggara and Ciletuh Pelabuhanratu Geopark, West Java. (AK)

The Head of Communications, Public Information

Services, and Cooperation Bureau,

Agung Pribadi

For further information please call:

The Head of Communications, Public Information Services, and Cooperation Bureau

Agung Pribadi (08112213555)

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