TEHRAN – The ancient city of Rasht is now one step closer to being recognized as a world city of handicrafts, a status given by the World Crafts Council, a local tourism director has said.

Vali Jahani welcomed WCC assessors who arrived in Rasht on Sunday to evaluate the city and its surroundings for their prestigious status during their two-day mission, Mehr quoted the Gilan province’s tourism chief as saying on Monday.

Rasht has been nominated for the title of “world handicrafts city” as the ancient city has long been a hub for wood-turning, traditional needlework that is called Rashti-duzi by the locals, marquetry, woodcarving, leatherwork, pottery, and traditional textiles, Jahani explained.

“The assessors are scheduled to visit several destinations including a rural heritage museum, traditional workshops and bazaars of handicrafts, and a cultural heritage museum dedicated to Rashti-duzi,” Jahani said.

Moreover, they will have meetings with local artisans and craftspeople to hear their opinions, suggestions, and concerns, the official noted.

Currently, more than 27,000 artisans are working in 42 different fields of handicrafts across Gilan province.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the official said that Rasht is registered as the national city of Rashti-duzi, which is a crochet and sewing work traditionally practiced in Rasht and its surrounding villages. Crochet and needlework were combined by the masters to enhance the beauty of their products, resulting in very elegant patterns.

The introduction of Rasht as the world city of handicrafts is considered a very valuable opportunity for the ancient city, Jahani said.

The value of Iran’s handicrafts exports stood at $400 million during the first ten months of the current Iranian calendar year 1401 (Mar. 21, 2022– Jan. 20, 2023), Maryam Jalali Dehkordi, the deputy tourism minister, said on Saturday. Compared with the same period a year earlier, the figure represents some 30 percent growth, she said.

The Islamic Republic exported some $320 million worth of handicrafts during the past Iranian year (1400), Jalali Dehkordi stated.

According to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Iran has the most cities and towns registered with the World Crafts Council (WCC), followed by China with seven, Chile with four, and India with three designated ones.

The WCC-Asia-Pacific Region designated Shiraz, Malayer, Zanjan, and the village of Qasemabad in January 2020, bringing the total number of craft cities and towns in Iran from 10 to 14. Shiraz has been dubbed “the world city of [various] handicrafts.”

Malayer became a center for woodcarving and carved wood furniture on a global scale. The designation “world city of filigree” was given to Zanjan. The village of Qasemabad, which is renowned throughout the country for its traditional costumes, was also promoted to a major handicrafts center on an international scale.

Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, the United States, and the coastal states of the Persian Gulf are among the countries that traditionally import ceramics, porcelain, hand-woven clothing, personal jewelry, and semi-precious stones from Iran.

AFM