TEHRAN - Over 300 handmade artworks made by Iranian artisans and craftspeople are currently on display at the 6th edition of the Fajr national handicrafts festival, which officially opened to the public on Tuesday at the National Museum of Iran in downtown Tehran.

The opening ceremony was attended by the deputy culture minister Mohammad-Hossein Imani-Khoshkhu, Pouya Mahmoudian and Ali-Asghar Shalbafian, who are respectively deputies for handicrafts and tourism at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, CHTN reported on Wednesday. 

All and all, 320 works, selected from 570 submitted ones from 31 provinces, are on show at the festival, Mahmoudian announced during the ceremony.

In selecting the works, the judging panel considered useful designs and aesthetic features as well as works that had the National Seal of Excellence, the official added. 

A section of the festival is dedicated to showcasing works and honoring children who continue their parents’ path of handicrafts, she explained. 

In addition to identifying artists, discovering new talents, and showcasing their work, the handicraft festival also allows those interested in Iranian culture, handicrafts, and traditional arts to communicate directly with artists, she noted. 

The festival will come to an end on February 13. 

With 14 entries, Iran ranks first globally for the number of cities and villages registered by the World Crafts Council, as China with seven entries, Chile with four, and India with three ones come next.

The value of Iran’s handicrafts exports stood at $120 million during the first eleven months of the past Iranian calendar year 1399 (March 20, 2020 – February 18, 2021), Mehr reported. The country’s handicrafts exports slumped during the mentioned months in comparison to the same period last a year earlier due to the damage the coronavirus pandemic has inflicted on global trade.

ABU/AFM