A ceremony celebrating the World Handicrafts Day and inaugurating the National Expo on Handicrafts Industries was held in Isfahan, Iran on June 11, 2023 with the presence of Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of the Islamic Republic of Iran, H.E. Mr. Ezzatollah Zarghami. ECO Director for Tourism, Mr. Jasur Rajabov attended the event representing the ECO Secretariat.

While welcoming guests, Honorable Minister praised the worthy hosting of Isfahan for launching of the handicrafts week and expressed hope that the four main projects of Iran related to handicrafts will come to fruition soon with the help of the World Handicrafts Council. He added that Iran is creating tourism centered handicraft markets at the entrance of big cities for attracting more tourists to those areas. After the celebration ceremony, the Honorable Minister inaugurated the National Expo on Handicrafts Industries in Chehel Sotoun Palace Museum. 

On the event’s sidelines, some informal bilateral meetings were also convened between the delegates of the ECO Secretariat and officials from various provinces of Iran. Their interactions, inter alia, discussed the tourism potential of these provinces while exploring the means and ways for enhancing tourism cooperation amongst the ECO Member States.