"Our world’s caves are places of wonder, mystery and majestic beauty. Show caves around the world are embracing their role in protecting and preserving caves and providing a place for people to learn about these special, natural, cultural and historical resources.
Show caves also play another important nature tourism role of sustainable economic development, providing jobs, and helping the economy of their regions.”
IYCK – International Year of Caves and Karst
International years celebrate and inform the world about important topics, many of which are not known to the general public. Caves and karst occur around our planet, but few people understand the great value of caves to humanity. Fewer still know what karst is.
We invite you to learn from the IYCK website about how caves and karst challenge but mostly contribute to the lives of billions of people every day. We hope you will then join us in this international year of celebration! To learn how you can get involved with the International Year, as a person or as a group, download the Planning Guide.
The International Year of Caves and Karst is organized by the International Union of Speleology, the worldwide organization of cave and karst explorers, scientists, managers, and educators. We are joined by many national and international organizations, listed in our Partners page.
