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

The event, attended by distinguished national and international delegates, was part of the celebrations to welcome the World Craft Council, a statement said.

The WCC celebrations have been scheduled in two phases – from November 21-24, which was held in New Delhi and from November 25-27 in 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," the statement said.

Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emphasised the importance of crafts in preserving cultural identity and giving a fillip to 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,” he said.

The Chief Minister expressed the hope that as the 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 would pass on to the younger generations.

He said that organisations like the 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 programmes, 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 centre 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 the 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, 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.