The announcement of the European Geoparks Network’s 2027 art competition—focused on fossils—coincides with the dual celebration of Geodiversity Day and World Animal Day. On October 10, Péter Prakfalvi, Chief Geologist of the Novohrad-Nógrád UNESCO Global Geopark, led a tour in Kazár, while on the preceding Sunday, a similar event took place along the world-famous prehistoric nature trail in Ipolytarnóc.

Our predecessors—prehistoric creatures—bridge the gap between the observances of Geodiversity and World Animal Days, linking celebrations that honor both the distant past and the present. It is in the context of these prehistoric remains that the call for entries for the European Geoparks Network (EGN) "Fossil of the Year 2027" competition is being launched today.The competition invites residents of the Slovak-Hungarian transnational Novohrad-Nógrád UNESCO Global Geopark to create an artwork depicting their favorite local fossil. Participants should submit a high-quality (300 dpi) digital version of their work to office@nngeopark.eu, including the title of the piece along with the creator's name and age.Members of the EGN Coordination Committee (CC) will vote on the submissions received from all EGN geoparks. Winning masterpieces in various age categories will earn the title of "EGN Fossil of the Year 2027." The winners will be announced on May 21, 2027—the birthday of Mary Anning, a pioneering female scientist considered one of the first amateur paleontologists.Provided they are portable, the submitted artworks will also be showcased in a traveling exhibition across our cross-border geopark. A previous news item offers a preview and a taste of what to expect.