In early May, the International Carpet Festival took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, bringing together master artisans, artists, and admirers of carpet weaving from around the world. The main goal of the festival is to promote Azerbaijani carpet weaving on a global scale, to showcase its rich heritage and future potential, and to foster exchange of experience and skills among international artisans.
Craftsmen from the Republic of Tatarstan also participated in this event. Tatarstan presented a project titled “Creative Laboratory: Three Tatar Carpets.”
It is worth noting that in September of last year, as part of the project supported by the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, a master and expert from Azərxalça OJSC conducted training in pile weaving for Tatarstan’s artisans. On May 3, a delegation from Tatarstan, invited on a return visit to the festival, showcased the results of this training.
Three types of carpets featuring Tatar ornaments and patterns adorned Tatarstan’s stand at the festival venue, located in the State Historical-Architectural Reserve “Icherisheher.”
This year, the International Carpet Festival coincided with two major anniversaries:
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The 25th anniversary of Icherisheher’s inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List
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The 15th anniversary of Azerbaijani traditional carpet weaving being inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Emin Mammadov, Chairman of the Board of Azərxalça OJSC and Honored Art Worker of Azerbaijan, noted that the festival is dedicated to the professional holiday “Carpet Weaver’s Day,” celebrated annually in Azerbaijan on May 5.
Source: tatcultresurs.ru