Global artisans to showcase talent at Fajr Handicrafts Festival
Global artisans to showcase talent at Fajr Handicrafts Festival
TEHRAN - Artists from 20 countries including England, Brazil, and Indonesia have entreated completion at the 9th Fajr Festival of Handicrafts, known as Sarv-e Simin, which is set to take place in Tehran from February 20 to 24.
The festival will showcase an array of handicrafts from both Iranian and international artists, with 200 entries from 20 countries submitted for evaluation in the international competition section.
During a press conference at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, on Tuesday, relative officials and experts provided details about the event. Behzad Ahmadi Farsani, the director-general of the Office for Handicrafts Education and Promotion, announced that selected works would be displayed in three exhibition halls at Sa’dabad Palace Complex. He also noted that international evaluators visiting Iran for the festival would participate in a scholarly discussion on handicrafts.
The festival will feature expert panels, special discussions led by judges from Thailand and India, as well as a special program titled “From Word to Pattern” with contributions from Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. A panel of four international and five Iranian judges will assess submissions based on artistic message and storytelling, quality of raw materials, creativity, authenticity, and identity.
Executive Secretary Amin Sanei-Mehri emphasized the festival’s broader objective of strengthening the handicraft industry and fostering an identity-driven economy.
Alongside the main exhibition, the event will include a diplomatic gifts showcase and a special Nowruz sales exhibition. Sanei-Mehri highlighted the rigorous selection process, revealing that 7,497 domestic works from 4,378 Iranian artists were submitted, along with 198 pieces from international participants. The festival’s jury includes experts from countries such as Pakistan, Indonesia, and Tajikistan.
As part of transparency efforts, all judging processes have been conducted digitally, ensuring fair and open evaluation, Sanei-Mehri underlined. Among domestic handicrafts, wooden and wickerworks were the most frequently submitted, while bone, marine, and paper-based crafts had the lowest participation rates. A total of 200 artists, 85 women and 115 men, qualified for the final exhibition.
Additionally, organizers announced that the first-ever auction of fine handicrafts would be held in June in close collaboration with the private sector, providing further opportunities for artists.
Moreover, a number of officials speaking at the event, including Maryam Jalali-Dehkordi, the deputy minister for handicrafts, highlighted initiatives to support artisans, including efforts to enhance industry associations and improve insurance coverage for handicraft professionals.
In a move to promote domestic handicraft markets, selected items will be showcased as diplomatic gifts for official delegations and made available for purchase through private-sector collaboration, Jalali-Dehkordi said.
According to organizers, the 9th International Fajr Festival of Handicrafts promises to be a major cultural event, fostering international exchange and celebrating Iran’s rich artistic heritage.
The event is intended to highlight traditional skills passed down through centuries. It also seeks to inspire future generations to embrace these time-honored practices while facilitating new economic opportunities for artisans.
According to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Iran’s annual handicraft exports currently stand at about $250 million, with an additional $250 million in informal “suitcase” exports. However, the global market for handicrafts is valued at $770 billion, underscoring a significant opportunity for growth.
Currently, a selection of 13 cities and three villages in Iran have been registered by the World Council of Handicrafts as “world cities of handicrafts”.
AM
source: tehrantimes.com