Member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) showcased their carpet arts, including Pakistani designs, at the ECO regional exhibition of carpet arts held in Tehran. The event, which also featured a workshop on the art of old carpet restoration, was inaugurated with a ceremony attended by dignitaries and scholars from the region.
President of the Economic Cultural Institute (ECI) Tehran, Saad S Khan, opened the exhibition, emphasizing the ancient and shared heritage of carpet art among regional countries. “Carpet is the most ancient of all regional art, common across the member states,” Khan stated, highlighting the cultural and historical significance of this traditional craft.
Professors and scholars speaking at the event discussed the common heritage of carpet designs in Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and other ECO members. Khan noted that Turkmenistan celebrates Carpet Day annually as a national state holiday, underscoring the deep cultural importance of carpets in the region.
Speakers at the event emphasized the cultural symbolism of carpets, their role in hospitality in traditional homes, and the significance of carpet weaving as a livelihood. Experts at the workshop explained techniques for restoring old, worn, or torn carpets, some up to a century old, to their former glory.
The ceremony was followed by an exhibition at the ECI Art Gallery in Tehran, featuring unique handmade carpets from across the region, including Pakistan. The exhibition included live demonstrations of carpet restoration by skilled artisans, drawing thousands of visitors from across ECO countries. The ongoing exhibition is expected to attract a large number of attendees, celebrating the rich and diverse heritage of carpet arts in the ECO region.
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