TEHRAN – Maryam Jalali Dehkordi, who serves as Iran’s deputy minister for handicrafts, has been selected as the deputy director for the World Crafts Council-Asia-Pacific Region.

The appointment was made at a recent WCC conference held on the sidelines of the 2nd Kokand Handicrafts Festival, held in the ancient Uzbek city, Mehr reported on Tuesday.

The event was attended by Jalali Dehkordi, a team of five Iranian potters as well as fellow officials and crafters from the Asia-Pacific region.

In June 2022, Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami selected Jalali Dehkordi as his new deputy for handicrafts. She replaced Pouya Mahmoudian, who took the helm in April 2018.

According to Jalali Dehkordi, the value of Iran’s handicraft exports stood at $400 million during the first ten months of the past Iranian calendar year 1401 (Mar. 21, 2022—Jan. 20, 2023). “Compared to the same period a year earlier, the figure represents some 30 percent growth.”

Currently, a total of 13 cities and three villages in Iran have been registered by the World Council of Handicrafts as “world cities of handicrafts”.

The World Crafts Council is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that was founded in 1964 to promote fellowship, foster economic development through income-generating craft-related activities, and organize exchange programs, workshops, conferences, and exhibitions.

The UNESCO-affiliated organization has established five branches in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America.

AFM