TEHRAN - On Saturday, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts hosted a grand event commemorating World Handicrafts Day.

Addressing the event, the Iranian tourism minister Ezzatollah Zarghami honored the memory of the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, saying “He truly valued handicrafts and, whenever necessary, he would pursue the issues ahead of us and issue the necessary orders.

Zarghami added, “Formerly, the missions of this ministry were considered secondary. But now, the missions of this ministry are regarded as a top priority, and this is due to the valuable perspective of that wise and capable President.”

“I once told Ayatollah Raisi in a Cabinet meeting that if we want to boost handicrafts, we must facilitate exports so that everyone can easily transport and export their handicraft products across the border.”

The conference was a vibrant assembly of relevant officials, veterans, artisans, and reporters. Among the attendees were the Deputy Minister for Handicrafts and Traditional Arts, Maryam Jalali Dehkordi; Deputy Minister for Development, Management, and Resources, Ali Taloui; and Deputy Minister for Tourism, Ali-Asghar Shalbafian. Also, several members of Parliament, senior managers, veterans, and investors, gathered in the ministry’s conference hall.

Jalali Dehkordi, for her part, said during the current administration, handicrafts found a voice, became fruitful, and approached business development.

She stated: “Concerning handicrafts, facilitating the temporary export of goods, adjusting the base price of export goods, creating incentives and providing facilities for the handicrafts sector, tax exemptions, special attention to the private sector and the Chamber of Commerce, providing insurance coverage for 10,000 handicraft artists, creating some 150,000 jobs, training 65,000 people through various programs, and $825 million in exports are among the actions taken by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts over the past three years.”

Speaking at the event, Perham Janfeshan, who presides over Tehran province’s department for cultural heritage and tourism, emphasized the intersection of art and industry represented by handicrafts. He highlighted Tehran’s significant contribution to the national handicrafts market, noting that one-third of the country’s handicraft exports originate from the capital.

Moreover, a heartfelt video message from World Crafts Council Director Saad Hani Al-Qaddumi was a highlight of the event. In his address, Al-Qaddumi first extended his condolences for a tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions. He then celebrated World Handicrafts Day, acknowledging Iran’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding its cultural heritage and passing down handicraft skills through generations.

A significant part of the event was the online inauguration of handicraft projects in five provinces: East Azarbaijan, Semnan, Yazd, Tehran, and Qazvin. Those projects were launched online during video conferences Zarghami held with provincial tourism chiefs who provided brief explanations for each initiative. The projects are expected to bolster the local handicrafts industry, preserving traditional skills while fostering economic growth.

The conference also marked the 60th anniversary of the World Crafts Council, celebrating with the recognition of eight master artisans selected by the council’s Asia-Pacific Region jury in Dongyang, China. The esteemed artisans were Fatemeh Seyyedi for Pateh embroidery, Behrouz Seifollahi for leather painting, Dadash Mehravari for glass painting, Saeed Pouzesh for wood inlay, Sarou Meghrachian for silver engraving, Mohammad Binava for Zari weaving, Amin Soltankhah for wood burning,  and Mansour Hafezparast for metal engraving.

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

World Handicrafts Day, held annually on June 10, honors the artistry and splendor of handicrafts worldwide.

AFM