Handicrafts World News

Development :Morocco promotes tourism potentialities
moroccotimes

The Moroccan stand, which will cover 300 m², will be characterised by local architectural specificities. The Moroccan craftsmen exhibitions will be accompanied by music of Gnawa and tea serving ceremonies.

Seven regional and provincial centres as well as representatives from five groups of hotels and travel agencies will be presenting Morocco in the event.

The Minister of tourism and the director of the Moroccan National Office of Tourism (ONMT) will also head for Berlin to participate in the workshops and meet specialised media.

ITB Berlin organisers announced that in the 2006 edition, over 10,500 exhibitors will come from 180 countries. Greece will be the guest of honour of this 40th edition, which will also be marked by the first participation of India. (more…)

Paris :Exhibition of Moroccan traditional crafts to be held next month
moroccotimes

The exhibition, which will run from March 8 to April 8, will be held in the capital’s Jardin d’Acclimatation, reported MAP news agency.

The event will feature permanent activities including an exhibition themed “Morocco, 3,000 Years of Art and History”, an exhibition of Moroccan handicraft, stands presenting Moroccan food and tea, in addition to a stand of the Moroccan National Office of Tourism (MNOT) and one of the Craftsman’s House.

Other animation activities will be scheduled, including camel trekking, the creation of a model based on the Fes Medina, a Moroccan traditional wedding ceremony, and dance and music shows.

Visitors can also attend pottery workshops and sessions of henna painting.

A conference will be held on the fringes of the event to discuss “Morocco in the French Literature”.

The opening ceremony will be marked by a procession of caftans made by Moroccan stylists Karim Tassi and and Albert Oiknine.

The Jardin d’Acclimatation was created in 1860 by Napoleon III. The 19 hectare garden receives 1.3 million visitors a year.

In March and May last year, the garden hosted an exhibition of South Korea followed by another one of Japan.

Aurora to host bamboo plantation
Malaya
By JOJO DE GUZMAN

CASIGURAN, Aurora – The largest commercial bamboo plantation in the country will soon be established in this coastal town, according to Joselito Ong, president of the Filipino-owned Industries Development Corp. (IDC)

Ong said the 500-hectare bamboo farm that would soon start in the barangays of San Ildefonso and Cozo could generate an estimated 2,000 jobs for this calamity-ravaged province.

With an initial capital of P15 million, the bamboo farm that will produce quality bamboo species such as “bayog” and “kawayang tinik” will operate over a period of five years.

According to Ong his company has forged a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the DENR through its Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) for the bamboo project under which the ERDB will provide technology support and expertise.

The EDRB has been studying ways to improve the quality of local bamboo species in order to meet export standards for bamboo handicraft and furniture.

The IDC, a Filipino-owned, privately held company has its primary wood manufacturing facilities, consisting of sawmill and veneer in this town. It also operates a furniture manufacturing facility in Pasig City.
The company which employs 1,050 persons, manages its forest through two Integrated Forest Management Agreements (IFMAs) granted by the DENR covering 57,168 has which would expire on Oct. 31,2007.

Ong said bamboo project in this town has long been envisioned by the IDC, dating back to the time of DENR Secretary Elizea Gozun but its operations were suspended at the height of flash floods and landslides that washed out communities in the provinces of Quezon and Aurora in late 2004.

In August 2005, DENR Secretary Michael Defensor lifted the suspension of its timber-harvesting operations after a DENR-NGO composite team which evaluated its IFMA and Timber License Agreement (TLA) found its performance “satisfactory.”

Ong said that aside from “bayog” and “kawayang tinik” species being produced in the province, they would experiment on giant bamboo which would be obtained from UP Los Baños.

Michael John G. Ong, IDC vice president, said that preparatory to the setting up of the bamboo plantation, the firm will set up a bamboo nursery within the next three to five months.

According to government researchers, there are only 3,000 hectares of established bamboo plantations in the country despite the increasing demand for quality bamboo products in the export market.

Bamboo has been included in the list of species recommended in the DENR’s community-based forest management program in its efforts to elevate it into a prime forest product with high economic value.
The Forestry Management Bureau (FMB) said 79,790 pieces of bamboo furniture were exported in 2002 to various countries worth $3.34 million. The US was the biggest buyer, purchasing 40,893 pieces worth $2.02 million.

The country also exports its bamboo furniture to Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and Spain.

27 rural business hubs set up in Karnataka
New Kerala

Bangalore: Central Minister for Panchayat Raj Mani Shankar Aiyar Friday inaugurated 27 rural business hubs in Karnataka to stimulate economic development in villages by involving local bodies, banks and non-government organisations (NGOs).

Set up in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the hubs will enable the rural folk to engage in vocational services and produce a range of products, including handicraft that will be promoted and marketed in urban areas, Aiyar said.

The national rural employment guarantee scheme, providing 100 days of work to the rural folk, covers six districts in Karnataka.

“If urban India boasts of three Ps (public private partnership), rural India will have four Ps (public, private panchayat partnership). Based on the success of these hubs, hundreds more can be set up in the remaining 23 districts of the state,” Aiyar said.

Of the 27 hubs, 20 in Tumkur and Mysore districts of south Karnataka will take up feeder franchise for power distribution in rural areas. The selected candidates will be trained and authorised to manage the distribution network and collect user charges.

General Electric (GE) will provide the necessary equipment to ensure quality power supply and minimise voltage fluctuations.

Of the remaining seven hubs in Bellary and Koppal districts of north Karnataka, five will engage rural artisans and skilled workforce to make handicraft and novelties in collaboration with the National Institute Of Fashion Design (NIFT), Bangalore. The other two hubs will promote integrated business solutions involving unemployed rural youth.

The hubs will be funded by the central government under the Swarna Jayanti Gramswar Rozagar Yojana. Rural and cooperative banks will be authorised to grant loans at lower interest rates.

“The hubs will function as nodal agencies to monitor development of rural infrastructure, including roads, communications, transportation, drinking water and primary health care,” said C.M. Udasi, Karnataka’s minister for rural development and panchayat raj.

30 artisans get certificates in carpet weaving
Greater Kashmir

Srinagar, Feb 26: The Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar Dr. Asgar Samoon distributed certificates among 30 artisan who were imparted training in carpet weaving at Sangri here on Sunday.
The training was organized by the Ministry of Carpet and Textiles Government of India in collaboration with State Handicraft Department. In all 30 artisans and supervisors of handicraft department participated in 21 days orientation programme from February 4 to 25.
The trainees received the basic computerized design training for carpet weaving. In this connection the 10 computers have been installed for providing modern know-how to the carpet weavers. The department has already conduct it the same orientation training programme and 30 weavers were imparted training.
The Deputy Commissioner on this occasion while interacting with the trainees urged upon them to produce such computerized designs for carpets so that these could compete at the national as well as international levels. He asked them to constitute self-help groups and contribute mutually to infuse new life in this age old trade of the valley.
The Joint Director Handicrafts, Mr. Allaqband, Deputy Director, Mtr Shaheena and President chamber of Commerce, Rouf Ahmed were also present on this occasion. (INF)