The city of Laleljin in Hamedan Province is steps away from receiving international recognition as a global pottery capital according to World Crafts Council jurors who visited the city last week as part of a four-member delegation.
According to one of the evaluators, the city “has gained 99% of the jury’s approval” to be designated as a World Pottery Capital, but there is still some work to be done, the Persian daily Donya-e-Eqtesad reported.
“While visiting the workshops in Lalejin, we saw fascinating techniques which speak volumes of the high quality of the city’s pottery,” said Usha Krishna, a juror and a former president of the WCC. She added that the city will have to pursue the craft more seriously once globally recognized.
Kevin Murray, the vice president of WCC-Asia Pacific, echoed Krishna’s sentiments while expressing delight at the fact that “the art is passed down from generation to generation” in Lalejin.
According to Lalejin Mayor Amir Pakraqam, the municipality’s top priority is “to construct a pottery village”.
The village, which will be built on 50 hectares of land with pottery workshops and markets as well as tourism services, is expected to help boost the local economy and help develop tourism.
Around 90% of the residents of Lalejin are directly involved with the production, distribution or sale of pottery. Lalejin has about a hundred workshops, most of which are family-run.
Last year, the historical cities of Isfahan and Tabriz were declared “World Craft City” by the WCC.
The World Crafts Council is a non-profit, non-governmental UNESCO-affiliated organization that was founded in 1964 to promote fellowship, foster economic development through income generating craft related activities, organize exchange programs, workshops, conferences, seminars, and exhibitions. In general, is offers encouragement, help, and advice to the artisans of the world. The organization is now formally registered in Belgium as an international organization.
