Gunungkidul's Geopark Night Specta secures national recognition in KEN 2026 for third consecutive year

The Geopark Night Specta (GNS) 8.0, an annual international-scale event held in the Gunung Sewu UNESCO Global Geopark area, Gunungkidul Regency, has once again gained national recognition by being included in the 2026 Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) programme. Gunungkidul Regent Endah Subekti Kuntariningsih stated on Sunday that the Gunung Sewu UNESCO Global Geopark area must be viewed as a space that benefits the community while prioritising the principles of environmental sustainability. “It must be interpreted for community empowerment, conservation, education, and innovation,” she said. According to Endah, the Gunung Sewu Geopark has 33 geosites spread across three regencies, namely Gunungkidul, Pacitan, and Wonogiri. Of that total, 13 geosites are located in the Gunungkidul Regency area, including the Nglanggeran Ancient Volcano area. She assessed that the natural and cultural wealth of Gunungkidul is a mandate that must be safeguarded, preserved, and managed sustainably to improve community welfare. The symbolic KEN 2026 certificate was handed over by the Director of Tourism Marketing of the Borobudur Authority Agency (BPOB), Harfiansah Bimantara, to Regent Endah Subekti Kuntariningsih during the peak night of Geopark Night Specta 8.0 on Saturday. Endah noted that the inclusion of Geopark Night Specta in KEN 2026 is an achievement earned for the third consecutive time, as one of 125 premier national events. The Gunungkidul Regency Government is committed to continuing to develop quality tourism based on the principles of environmental conservation and community empowerment, supported by the 2026 Yogyakarta Special Region Privileges Fund.