Traditional Handloom in South Asia

New Delhi:(Page3 News Network)-Weavers from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka will participate at the week-long “Wheel of Life” Expo/Workshop exhibition, where handloom products from their respective countries will be on display and on sale. The “Wheel of Life” Expo/Workshop will be inaugurated and declared open by the Secretary to the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Smt. Sangita Gairola on 1st November 2012. The event is organized by the SAARC Cultural Centre, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
The objectives of the event is to execute and display the skills of the weavers, as well as bring them to one platform for interaction, and help them find new markets and new market trend. Most importantly, it is to educate visitors, both domestic and foreigners about the unique and fascinating technique involved in weaving and to highlight the traditional handloom of the region. 
To coincide with the Exhibition several other events have been organized, including a Design Workshop, an Exporters/Buyers Meet and a Conference on Mapping out cultural industries. The Design Workshop on the theme “Tradition to Trend” will be organized on the 2nd of November 2012, at the Craft Museum, Pragati Madan, Delhi. Presentations will be made by Resource Persons from India, with interactive sessions by visiting delegates. This workshop will highlight means of promoting knowledge, highlighting newer techniques and designs while still maintaining the authenticity of traditional handloom. The Exporters/Buyers Meet, organized on the 4th of November 2012, at the Exhibition venue, will give an opportunity for Exporters and Buyers to meet the participants from the region and giving them an opportunity to work beyond their country.
An integral part of this project will be a report, based on surveys and compilation of data on Cultural Industries in the SAARC Region. It is also proposed to develop a SAARC Map of Cultural Industries in the Region, introducing products of Cultural Industries of the SAARC Region to the World Market, and this will be done through compilations of volumes of source books, which will also be available online. The first volume will focus on the Handloom Industry, and a conference on the Mapping of Cultural Industries will also be organized on the 3rd of November 2012, to set in place a methodology and working plan for this project, that will look into a comprehensive report on the Handloom Industry. It will focus on data of employment, intellectual property rights, new products and exports. Resource persons from the Region will attend this conference, and it will be facilitated by the SAARC Cultural Centre to be held at the IGNCA.