TEHRAN – A total of 10 high-quality works by Iranian artisans have been inscribed on the list of UNESCO Seal of Excellence for Handicrafts, Omid Shiva, an official with the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization of Iran said on Friday.

Overall, less than two-thirds of 250 nominees from various Asian countries and Oceania were stamped with the seal of jurors of the World Crafts Council-Asia Pacific Region (WCC-APR), who convened in Kuwait from September 3 to 8, Mehr news agency quoted Shiva as saying.

Ranging from potteries to handwoven products, the ceramic-like “Bird of Paradise”, defined as a legendary bird based on ideal imagination of heaven, is amongst the prize-winning items.

The awards are mainly given to crafts that are produced out of natural recyclable substances with innovative manners and yet represent the national identity of their native countries, the official explained.  

Over the past couple of years, dozens of Iranian handicrafts have gained the UNESCO Seal of Excellence. For instance, in 2010, a total of 65 handicrafts on various themes including enamel, tile, metalwork, leatherwork, wood carving received the privilege.

In a close collaboration between the UNESCO and the ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA), the scheme was originally launched in 2000 as a pilot project for the Southeast Asia region.

The above combination photo shows a select of high-quality works by Iranian artisans that have been stamped with the UNESCO Seal of Excellence for Handicrafts in early September 2016.

AFM/MG