Deputy director-general of Qazvin Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization Nader Mohammadi told IRNA on Tuesday that the required documents have been sent to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to register Sa’d al-Saltaneh Market and Andaj Village in the World Heritage List.

Mohammadi noted that a delegation visited Qazvin in order to inspect the sites and prepare the registration process, but the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has postponed the process.

The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism follows up the registration in order to speed up the process, the official added.

When the Sa’d al-Saltaneh Market is inscribed on the list, it will become the first handicrafts market in the world to be registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List, he noted, arguing that such progress will create a proper capacity for the handicrafts industry in the northwestern Iranian province.

Referring to training courses to revitalize handicrafts arts in the province, he said that the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization of Qazvin has urged professional artists to hold training courses in order to stop the demise of certain handicraft arts.

Andaj is a village in the East Alamut District of Qazvin County. Andaj Village, which is surrounded by rivers and eye-catching rocks, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in this area. The village is considered one of the hubs for kilim-weaving.

In the previous Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2020, to March 20, 2021), the export of handicrafts, valued at $4 million, was reported from Qazvin Province. Iraq, Qatar, Germany, Italy, Canada, Greece, Lebanon, Turkey, and the Azerbaijan Republic were the main destinations of Qazvin-made handicrafts.

Kilim-weaving, embroidery, mosaics, jajim-weaving, mirror works, copper plating, leather embroidery, and glass painting are among the main handicraft arts of Qazvin Province.


Source: Iran daily