CM Omar Abdullah meets delegates of World Craft Council

New Delhi, Nov 24: As part of the 60th Anniversary Celebrations of the World Craft Council (WCC), themed “Craft, Creativity & Compassion,” Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, hosted a dinner for World Craft Council Delegates in New Delhi here on Saturday evening.

The event, attended by distinguished national and international delegates, was part of the celebrations to welcome the World Craft Council. The WCC celebrations have been scheduled in two phases – from November 21-24, which was held in New Delhi and from November 25-27 at Srinagar to highlight the significant role of Jammu & Kashmir in global crafts.

With Srinagar’s recognition as the 63rd World Craft City, the region’s standing as a hub of cultural and artisanal excellence has been further elevated.

Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emphasized the importance of crafts in preserving cultural identity and giving fillip to the economic growth: “Jammu & Kashmir is proud of its rich cultural heritage, deeply rooted in traditional craftsmanship. The handicrafts and handloom sectors, vital pillars of this heritage, hold immense potential for economic growth and social upliftment, particularly in rural areas. These crafts not only preserve the region’s cultural identity but also provide livelihood for countless artisans.”

The Chief Minister expressed the hope that as World Craft Council would achieve more milestones to celebrate in years to come, the Crafts sector would also emerge stronger in J&K. He hoped that the transfer of skills and craft knowledge will pass on to the younger generations.

He said that organizations like World Craft Council could assist J&K in unlocking its full potential in handicrafts and making it sustainable in the years to come.

During the presentations to the participants, several initiatives undertaken by the J&K Government were highlighted including the Wool Processing, Handloom, and Handicrafts Policy-2020, financial assistance programs, skill development schemes like the Karkhandar initiative, and the promotion of Geographical Indication (GI) certification to protect Kashmiri crafts. It was conveyed that there has been a remarkable increase in exports which has risen from Rs 563 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 1,162 crore in 2023-24.

A key highlight of the event was the announcement of the collaboration between the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and the World Craft Council to establish a World Craft Hub and International Crafts Museum in Srinagar.

This initiative aims to position Kashmir as a global center for artisanal excellence to preserve traditional skills and create sustainable revenue streams for artisans.

During the event, a presentation on the crafts of Jammu & Kashmir and the way forward; a short film celebrating the global legacy of crafts and Srinagar being designated as a World Craft City was shown to the audience.

Besides Chief Minister and delegates from the World Craft Council, the dinner was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to CM Dheeraj Gupta, Union Additional Secretary in Ministry of Textiles Rohit Kansal, Commissioner Secretary Industries & Commerce Vikramjeet Singh, Director Handicrafts Kashmir Mehmood Ahmad Shah.

 From World Craft Council the notable dignitaries present were the President of the WCC Saad Al Qaddumi, Vice President WCC Dr Kevin Murray, Aziz Mutazaev (Uzbekistan), Nadia Meer (South Africa) Prof Aftab Gharda (UK) and delegates from member countries of the World Craft Council, including representatives from Australia, Kuwait, France, the UK, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Ireland, Malaysia, and Turkey, attended the event. Other key officials from the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, and J&K Government and representatives of Craft Industry from J&K.

The celebrations hold immense significance for Jammu & Kashmir, offering global recognition to its artisanal heritage and creating direct and indirect employment opportunities for artisans. By integrating crafts into tourism and connecting local artisans to global markets, the event is expected to have a lasting impact on the region’s cultural and economic landscape.

A notable feature of the second leg of the event in Srinagar would be the participation of artisans from Iran and Central Asia, whose visit would help be significant for historical and cultural ties between Central Asian and Kashmiri crafts.

The interaction with WCC is expected to foster cross-cultural learning, celebrate shared heritage and to open up avenues for reviving lost techniques.

This momentous event is seen as a milestone in Jammu & Kashmir’s journey to reclaim its position in the world of crafts.

With its artisans at the heart of this revival, and collaboration with the World Craft Council is expected to help J&K to revive and sustain its rich cultural heritage for generations to come. The event now moves to J&K with the delegates from World Craft Council set to celebrate the 60th anniversary of WCC in Srinagar, starting with their arrival and Craft tour on 25th November and two day long event at the SKICC on 26th and 27th of November.