Administration organises craft safari tour to boost local art

Jammu and kashmir Economy

25-Dec-21

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Jammu and Kashmir Department of Handicrafts and Handloom recently organised a craft safari tour in Srinagar's Eidgah to boost Kashmir art and promote artisans work.
During this craft safari tour, the Director of Handicraft along with other officials, tour operators, hoteliers, houseboat owners, businessmen and civil society members visited many workshops where the artisan community are doing their daily craftwork.

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Tourists also visited the workshops that included wood carving, crewel working, chain stitches, Sozni caps made by pashmina and spinning units where women prepare cotton for pashmina shawls.
The unique and amazing hand works of artisans are famous across the globe and have a good international market.
But for the last thirty years of insurgency and overall disturbing atmosphere Kashmir art and artisan community faces a lot of hardships.
So, to revive the old aged rich craft the administration has started a unique type of activity titled ‘Craft tours or craft safari walk’ in old Srinagar where such type of artwork is going on and maximum artisan communities are living there.
Recently, Srinagar city also made entry in United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) list through old aged rich cultural, traditional art and craft.
Director of Handicraft Kashmir speaking on the occasion emphasized that Srinagar city is very famous culturally and traditionally and this old aged rich craft has huge importance.
According to the director, recently Srinagar city made an entry into the UNESCO heritage list due to its art and craft. Therefore, the purpose of this special craft safari is to restore the glory of this centuries-old and rich art and promote Kashmir art and artisan community.
Kashmir is an important tourist place it is important to promote and show diversity in art and craft in the valley. Such kinds of tours empower and motivate the artisans to work harder.
Efforts are also aimed at educating tourists about the efforts these artisans put in place by involving tour and travel fraternity and tourism department.
The artisan community has also appreciated the department of handicraft to start this unique initiative in the shape of this craft safari tour.
They are now hopeful that in future with the help of such types of steps Kashmir art will be promoted and artisans will get some benefits.
This has been hailed as a very good initiative. From such steps, the local crafts get recognition in the market and artisans also get recognition from such tours.
This is also being termed a very important step especially for women, with this they can earn handsomely now.
According to the women artisans, this is a very good step as it will also develop the local culture.
Old artisan work will also get recognition with such an art safari. Women who are coming here to work were setting unemployed at their home and were doing nothing for the last few years but because of the safari they are now getting jobs.

UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN).
It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture.
It is also a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), a coalition of UN agencies and organizations aimed at fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UNESCO is headquartered in Paris.
The organization has more than 50 field offices around the world.
It has 193 Members and 11 Associate Members and is governed by the General Conference and the Executive Board.
3 UNESCO member states are not UN members: Cook Islands, Niue, and Palestine.

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