The World Crafts Council is a non-governmental and non-profit organization whose main role is to improve the future of artists and contribute to sustainable world peace. This council was founded in New York, USA in 1964. The first term of the council was chaired by Mrs. Eileen Osborne Webb. This meeting was held at Columbia University and fifty different countries of the world participated in it. In this way, the foundation of the first body supervising human handicrafts was established. Periodic meetings of the World Crafts Council are held once every four years. But until 1980, it was held every two years. So far, Europe and Asia have hosted the most meetings of this council.
Until 2013, the World Handicrafts Council operated as an advisory arm under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. But in the same year, it was separated from UNESCO and registered as a non-profit and non-political organization in Belgium. Despite the separation of the handicraft sector from UNESCO, this council participates in UNESCO meetings to align with cultural programs. On the other hand, in order to advance its cultural goals, this council provides consultations to national and international governments and institutions. The main goal of this council is to preserve handicrafts as a part of human cultural life and to create a voice and empathy among handicrafts activists. The World Handicrafts Council accomplishes these goals by assisting and advising artists, conducting research studies, holding workshops, lectures, and international exhibitions.
The most important goals that this council seeks as a non-profit and non-governmental organization are:
- Encouraging, helping and guiding artisans as well as raising the level of their specialized and professional information according to the different cultural contexts in each of the member countries.
- Preservation and strengthening of handicrafts and its manifestation as a major pillar of the cultural life of nations.
- Creating solidarity among artisans around the world.
This council consists of five regions of North America (Canada), Latin America (Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, United States of America, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela), Africa , Europe and Asia and the Pacific are formed. The Asia Pacific region of the World Crafts Council is one of the five regions of the World Crafts Council and has six sub-regions from West Asia to East Asia:
- West Asia: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and United Arab Emirates
- Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
- South Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
- Southeast Asia: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam
- East Asia: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan
- Oceania: Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific Islands
The five regions of the World Crafts Council
The World Crafts Council consists of five regions: Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America, North America and Europe. Geographically, Asia and the Pacific is the largest region of the Soviet Union, which includes six sub-regions. The sub-regions of Asia and the Pacific include South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania. The five regions of the World Crafts Council are as follows:
Africa | South Asia: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India and Bangladesh West Asia: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Lebanon and Kuwait Central Asia: Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan East Asia: South Korea, North Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and Japan Southeast Asia: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand Oceania: Australia Latin America: Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, Barbados, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Chile, Paraguay and the United States of America | North America: Canada
In which region of Iran is the Council of Handicrafts located?
Iran became a member of the World Handicrafts Council three years after the establishment of the World Handicrafts Council, i.e. in 1347. Our country is a member of the Asia-Pacific region and the Western subregion. Iran hosted the directors of this non-governmental organization at the 18th World Handicrafts Council Summit, which was held in Isfahan city in 2015. The current head of the Asia-Pacific region is Mr. Adkham Ikramov from Uzbekistan (Central Asia region). All sub-regions of Asia are managed at the deputy level. And now, the deputy of the West Asia sub-region is Dr. Pooya Mahmoudian from Iran.
Ghada’s death is satirical and a loss to the handicraft community of the world
Mrs. Dr. Madha Hajawi al-Qadoumi was one of the most active managers of the World Handicrafts Council, who died this year (2021) due to illness. He was the elected president of the new term of the World Handicrafts Council for a four-year term ending in 2024. After his death, the executive board of the council placed the responsibility of affairs on his son, Saad al-Qadoumi. He is supposed to hold this post as a temporary manager until December 2021.
