The UNESCOMED Centre joined the ceremony of delivery of the official certificate of the Val d'Aran by UNESCO, to welcome this new Biosphere Reserve at the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) from the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB). With the new designations during 2024, the World Network of Biosphere Reserves totals 738 sites in 134 countries.

During the ceremony, celebrated on Saturday 9^th of November in Vielha, the main political authority of Aran, Ms Maria Vergés from Conselh Generau d'Aran, received from the hands of the Secretary General for the Demographic Challenge, Francés Boya, the official certification of this appointment by the State, on behalf of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge. The celebration also featured the performance of the dance groups of Aran representing the Aranese culture, one of the pillars of the candidacy presented by the Val d'Aran in UNESCO, since this regions holds the Aranese, a dialect from the Occitan language.

The UNESCOMED category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO, headquarters of Abertis Foundation, had the chance to congratulate to the main authorities from the region, such as Ms Maria Vergés and the mayors, as well as other actors that have made it possible.  The candidacy was promoted in 2020, during the government of the Mr Francés Boya, with the citizen participation program ARAN 2030, and which was first accepted by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge of the State Government and, subsequently, sent to the UNESCO committee that definitively approved it.

The main political authority of Aran, Maria Vergés, stated this distinction by UNESCO is a historic milestone for Aran that has never been achieved before, which represents international recognition and places us as a benchmark territory for the promotion of good practices in territorial, environmental and socio-economic development, making Aran a territory with a future for its citizens, and also to lead a joint sustainable development strategy in the Pyrenees.

The declaration took place in Agadir (Morocco) last July, during the 36th edition of UNESCO's International Coordinating Council for the "Man and Biosphere" programme.