TEHRAN— A museum dedicated to the wickerwork is scheduled to be inaugurated in the northern province of Gilan, the provincial tourism chief has said.On the occasion of Government Week (August 24-30), the museum will be opened in Fashtakeh, which is a national village of wickerwork, Vali Jahani explained on Sunday.The museum will display tools related to wickerwork, historical documents, and pictures, the official added.Some farmers, rural households, and even urban households use wickerwork as a source of income, especially those living near wetlands, the seaside, and riverfront areas, he noted.Opening this museum and promoting this field of handicrafts can lead to the development of tourism infrastructure in the area, he mentioned.With 14 entries, Iran ranks first globally for the number of cities and villages registered by the World Crafts Council, as China with seven entries, Chile with four, and India with three ones come next.

For instance, Shiraz is named a “world city of [diverse] handicrafts”, Malayer is a global hub for woodcarving and carved-wood furniture, while Zanjan has gained the title of a “world city of filigree.”Available data compiled by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts suggests the value of Iran’s handicrafts exports stood at $120 million during the first eleven months of the Iranian calendar year 1399 (March 20, 2020 – February 18, 2021), Mehr reported.

The country’s handicrafts exports slumped during the mentioned months in comparison to the same period last a year earlier due to the damage the coronavirus pandemic has inflicted on global trade.ABU/AM