International Day of Caves and Karst

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On 12 November 2025, the UNESCO General Conference proclaimed 13 September as the International Day of Caves and Karst (IDCK). The new International Day provides a permanent global platform for raising awareness of the importance of caves and karst for biodiversity, water resources, geodiversity, scientific research, cultural heritage and sustainable development. Caves and karst systems are often hidden from view, yet they contain unique natural archives and support highly specialised ecosystems, including many endemic and cave-adapted species that depend on stable subterranean environments.