TEHRAN – The World Crafts Council - Asia Pacific Region (WCC-APR) is to assess Malayer for possible inscription as a world city of woodcarving, a title granted to Abyaneh in 2018.

Located in west-central Hamedan province, Malayer has long been a hub for woodcarving and carved-wood furniture. It has recently played host to a woodcarving festival which came to an end on August 21.

WCC-APR will soon assess Malayer to be a world city of woodcarving and the result is expected to be announced in the month of Mehr (September 23-October 22), Pouya Mahmoudian, a tourism ministry official in charge of handicrafts, said at the closing ceremony of the festival.

The WCC-APR has so far designated several Iranian cities and villages such as Mashhad, Lalejin, Isfahan, Tabriz and Kalpourgan as world crafts hubs.

Handicrafts exports form the Islamic Republic reached $289 million in the past Iranian calendar year 1397 (ended March 20), showing three percent growth year on year, Mahmoudian said in June.

AFM/MG