TEHRAN - World Crafts Council-Asia Pacific Region Director Ghada Hijavi and some of her fellow experts are to visit the city of Malayer on Monday to follow up on their assessment to name the city “a world city of woodcarving”, a title granted to Abyaneh in 2018, IRNA reported.

Located in west-central Hamedan province, Malayer has long been a hub for woodcarving and carved-wood furniture.

Malayer is home to over 4,000 furniture workshops in which more than 8,000 wood masters and some 25,000 crafters are engaged. It was named a national city of woodcarving earlier in the year 1395 (ended March 2017).

On Tuesday, the WCC delegation visited handicraft workshops, stores and exhibits in the southern city of Shiraz, its ancient and modern arts, and associated bazaars to assess the city for becoming “a world city of handicrafts”.

So far, the council has granted the same titles to several Iranian cities and villages including Abadeh for its art of “Woodcarving” and the village of Khorashad for the craft ‘Toebafi’ (traditional handwoven fabrics).

Back in February, the oasis city of Meybod celebrated becoming a world city for Zilou, a traditional type of floor covering commonly woven across the central Iranian city and its outskirts.

Traditional ceramics, pottery vessels, handwoven cloths as well as personal ornamentations with precious and semi-precious gemstones are among Iranian exports to Iraq, Afghanistan and Germany, the U.S., the UK, and other countries

AFM/MG