Mehr News has quoted Cultural Heritage Organization’s deputy for Handicrafts and Traditional Arts Bahman Namvar Motlagh as announcing the news; “head of World Crafts Council-Asia Pacific Region Ghada Hijavi has communicated the decision by the international body consisting of heads of four regions of Europe, Latin America, North America, and Africa, by a letter where Mashhad and Lalejin had been chosen as World Cities of Gems and Pottery; the recognition won by these cities will bring them a new position and with it the competitive advantage of more tourists and income accruing upon the cities,” said the deputy. “This recognition would also catapult to the fame the craftsmen and women of these cities in global proportions, giving them places beyond immediate regional restrictions and petty rivalries. This will also bring boom to otherwise arts of limited scope and attraction.”
Namvar said that a commemoration ceremony would be held in these two cities in upcoming month of August; “the achievement is important for the Cultural Heritage Organization and its head Massoud Soltanifar, also deputy-president, whom we congratulate on the feat. Congratulations would also be offered to provincial governors, heads of local Cultural Heritage offices, and the general public in both provinces,” he asserted.
“The recognition would be a severe blow to cities in India and China, Iran’s major rivals in terms of cities with most nominations for world cities, with Isfahan and Tabriz having won World Carpet and Handicraft Cities earlier in 2015; we hope other cities would joined the list to improve Iran’s position in arts and crafts,” Namvar Motlagh concluded.
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