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A Canadian provincial park has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site today.
Writing on Stone Provincial Park in Southern Alberta, also known as Áísínai’pi, is a sacred place for Indigenous Blackfoot people.
It is being recognized as a world heritage site for its “immense cultural and spiritual significance.”
According to Alberta Parks, Writing on Stone contains the most significant concentration of protected First Nations’ petroglyphs (rock carvings) and pictographs (rock paintings) on the Great Plains of North America.
The Alberta provincial government says that more than 60,000 people visit Writing on Stone each year.
There are now six world heritage sites in Alberta, including Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, The Canadian Rocky Mountains, and Wood Buffalo National Park.
“Writing-on-Stone/Áísínai'pi is the site of many natural wonders and a testament to the remarkable ingenuity and creativity of the Blackfoot people,” said Jason Nixon, minister of environment and parks.
“It’s easy to see why the site is seen by many as an expression of the confluence of the spirit and human worlds. I hope all Albertans will take the time to explore this extraordinary part of the province and all it has to offer.”
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