TEHRAN – A carpet symbolizing peace and empathy is currently being woven by the hands of visitors to the Iran pavilion at the prestigious Expo 2020 Dubai, ILNA reported on Wednesday. 

In collaboration with the Iran National Carpet Center, the Iran pavilion has prepared special programs for the Expo 2020 Dubai to showcase the capabilities of this national art, considering the importance of hand-woven carpets among the non-oil exports of the country, the report added. 

Visitors to the pavilion are kindly required to tie a knot on the carpet as a symbol of peace and empathy under the supervision of a master of carpet weaving.

The carpet will be completed with these knots in six months and is planned to be displayed at the Expo Museum, the report said. 

Persian carpets, a symbol of Iranian art

For millennia, Iran’s eminent carpets, which are adored for their intricate designs, lavish colors, and matchless craftsmanship, have been produced by hand along the nomad trail across the foothills and high plains of the ancient land.

Weavers, the majority of whom women, spend several months in front of a loom, stringing and knotting thousands of threads. Some practice established patterns, some make their own.

It is a scene that seems ageless, a procedure that can take as long as a year, these efforts have long put Iran’s carpets among the most complex and labor-intensive handicrafts in the world. When the weaving is finally done, the carpet is cut, washed, and put out in the sun to dry.

Persian carpets are sought after internationally with the medallion pattern being arguably the most characteristic feature of them all. However, there is tremendous variation in the shapes and sizes of the medallions as well as the way they are used in various rugs. It’s not wrong to say that no two rugs will have the same medallion layout.

Medallion carpet is any floor covering on which the decoration is dominated by a single symmetrical centerpiece, such as a star-shaped, circular, quatrefoil, or octagonal figure.

The name, however, is sometimes also given to a carpet on which the decoration consists of several forms of this kind or even of rows of medallion figures.

Expo 2020, an opportunity to promote Iran’s tourism, handicrafts

The Expo 2020 Dubai opened on September 30 with a lavish ceremony of fireworks, music, and messaging about the power of global collaboration for a more sustainable future.

Iran’s pavilion in the world fair is planned to showcase each Iranian province’s strengths and assets in tourism, cultural heritage, handicrafts, as well as its natural sites, traditional ceremonial practices, and historical significance.

Many countries and companies are also looking to the expo - the first major global event open to visitors since the coronavirus pandemic - to boost trade and investment.

According to organizers, the Expo, an exhibition of culture, technology, and architecture under the banner “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future”, is expected to be a demonstration of ingenuity, and a place where global challenges such as climate change, conflict, and economic growth can be addressed together.

The Persian Gulf state has relaxed most coronavirus limitations but Expo requires face masks to be worn and for visitors over 18 to be vaccinated against, or test negative for, COVID-19.

Iran expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 26 being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

ABU/AFM