Sanquhar Becomes the Latest Biosphere Town

That the Parliament congratulates the town of Sanquhar on becoming the 10th Biosphere Community to be designated within the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere since the region was awarded UNESCO status in 2012; understands that the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership is a charitable organisation, supported by funders including South of Scotland Enterprise and Dumfries and Galloway Council, and that the Biosphere Communities scheme invites local people to explore the aspects of heritage and cultural identity that most inspire community pride, with a "Sense of Place" workshop in which favourite places, leisure activities and scenic spots are shared; understands that the workshop output is collated into a destination page for the Biosphere’s website, and features on Scotland’s UNESCO Trail, promoting slow, sustainable tourism between what it considers to be the country’s world-class visitor attractions; notes that businesses in and around Sanquhar are expected to benefit from their new connection through destination marketing that promotes Biosphere Communities as places where visitors from near and far can enjoy nature-based experiences and a taste of "Biosphere life"; recognises that the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO region has attracted multiple tourism accolades for its unique offering in recent months, having been featured in Rough Guides, Wanderlust, Lonely Planet, and National Geographic Traveller magazines; believes confidently that the UNESCO connection will benefit Sanquhar through the Biosphere’s partnerships with VisitScotland and the South of Scotland Destination Alliance, which promote the region; notes that Sanquhar’s local heritage includes the ruins of the Crichton family’s historic seat, the world’s oldest working Post Office, opened in 1712, and Crawick Multiverse, the "cosmic artland" created by Charles Jencks; appreciates that the town attracts walkers and cyclists all year round with its position on the Southern Upland Way, amid the magnificent landscapes of Upper Nithsdale, and wishes all the best to the many individuals and organisations that have worked to launch this latest Biosphere town.