TEHRAN--A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order (EIKO) to strengthen sustainable employment through handicrafts and tourism.

According to Miras Aria (CHTN), the signing ceremony of the MoU was held on Tuesday in the presence of Minister of Cultural Heritage Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri and EIKO Head Parviz Fattah. 

Referring to the importance of strengthening cooperation with the EIKO, Salehi-Amiri stated that the issue of removing deprivation is the main discourse of the leaders of the revolution. “If we do not pay attention to this area, we have not paid attention to the ideals of the revolution.”

The minister said: “One of our slogans is the continuity and vitality of the village identity, and we must plan to prevent migration and strengthen the villages.”

Referring to the job-generating capacities of the handicrafts sector, Salehi-Amiri stated: “We are seeking reverse migration and preserving the village identity, and handicrafts can help this goal.”

Emphasizing the development of cooperation with the Mostazafan Foundation, Imam Khomeini Relief Committee (IKRC), and the EIKO, he said that along with handicrafts, ecotourism is one of the most important capacities for creating employment in villages.

Salehi-Amiri pointed to the role of handicrafts and tourism in creating sustainable employment and called for strengthening cooperation in the field of marketing and exporting the handicrafts. 

Referring to the existence of 3,000 ecotourism sites in the country, he said: “Our slogan is every village is an ecotourism site and we have tried to revive handicrafts in every village.”

He also said: “80 percent of the handicrafts activists are women, but our main problem is sales and marketing, and we ask the EIKO to play a role in the field of marketing, domestic sales, and exports of handicrafts.”

Salehi-Amiri stated that Iran is one of the leading countries in the field of handicrafts with more than 299 active handicrafts fields, and plans must be made to develop its sales and exports.

He said: “One of our important capacities is halal tourism. We have more than 57 Muslim countries, and halal tourism is a great capacity for Iran that can be developed with the participation of the EIKO.”

KD