Kashmir, 4th Indian city to receive World Craft City Certificate

Kashmir City received the Certificate of World Craft City from the World Crafts Council International in a ceremony held in Srinagar, capital of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, on 31 July 2024. The ceremony was attended by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Sa’ad Hani Al-Qaddumi, President of the World Crafts Council, and other prominent Council personalities. Earlier in June 2024, the World Craft Council announced its decision to include Kashmir in its World Craft City list.

4th Indian city to get a World Craft City certificate

Kashmir is the fourth Indian city to be included in the World Craft City list of the World Crafts Council.  Jaipur of Rajasthan and Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu were included in 2015, and Mysore in Karnataka was included in 2018.

While Jaipur, Mamallapuram, and Kashmir have received the World Craft City tag, Mamallapuram has been recognised for its stone craft (World Craft City for Stone Carving).

Benefits to Kashmir 

Kashmir, which has more than 4000 years of written history, is famous for its Carpet Weaving, Kani-Shawl, Paper Maachie, Khatamband, wood carving, Kandikari copperware, and Tilla Work. Kashmiri handicrafts are heavily influenced by Iranian and Central Asian art and culture.

In 2021, Kashmir was recognised as UNESCO’s Creative City under Crafts and Folks Art. This fresh recognition is likely to boost the handicraft sector of the region. 

• According to government figures, the export of handicrafts from the region has jumped from Rs. 1,000 to 2,000 crores in the last five years.
• With the World Craft Council tag, the global recognition and demand for Kashmiri handicrafts is expected to increase.
• It will boost exports from the region, boost tourism in the region, increase the income of the artisans, and support the skilled preservation of the region's cultural heritage.

About World Craft Council International 

The World Crafts Council International was set up in 1964 by Ms Aileen Osborn Vanderbilt Webb, Ms Margaret Merwin Patch, and Ms Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay in New York, USA.

The World Crafts Council International is a non profit organisation which works for the preservation, promotion, and advancement of global craftsmanship and traditional crafts.