"Ajman tourism, culture and media" Launches the Craftsmen Council to support Emirati heritage and promote the creative economy
Ajman, 9 July / WAM / The Department of Tourism, Culture and Media in Ajman launched the Craftsmen’s Council in the Emirate of Ajman, in a qualitative initiative aimed at preserving traditional Emirati crafts and enhancing their sustainability as an integral part of the national identity and cultural heritage of the UAE, by providing a specialized platform to empower craftsmen, support the sustainability of craft and creative industries, and consolidate the emirate’s position as a center for creativity and cultural industries.
The launch of the Council comes in line with the objectives of Ajman Vision 2030, which gives strategic importance to the creative economy, empowering national competencies, and preserving cultural identity, as it focuses on supporting creative industries and enhancing their contribution to sustainable economic and social development.
His Excellency Mahmoud Khalil Al Hashemi, Director General of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Information in Ajman, confirmed that the launch of the Craftsmen Council represents a strategic step within the department’s efforts to preserve the Emirati cultural heritage as one of the most important components of national identity, and a translation of the vision of the wise leadership in preserving heritage and enhancing its contribution to the process of sustainable development.
He said that the department believes that craftsmen are partners in creating the future, and that their empowerment reflects positively on the creative economy and contributes to transforming traditional crafts into sustainable products that express the authenticity of Emirati society and keep pace with the requirements of the times. Therefore, the council will work to build an integrated system that brings together craftsmen, designers, entrepreneurs, and cultural institutions. To exchange experiences and develop skills, in an effort to preserve the Emirati heritage and re-present it in innovative ways, and to enhance the emirate’s position as a center for creativity and cultural industries.
For her part, Maryam Al Ketbi, Director of the Office of the Director General of the Department, explained in a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that the Craftsmen Council aims to achieve a set of strategies that include preserving and documenting traditional Emirati crafts, encouraging the development of heritage-inspired craft products in a modern spirit, and contributing to the development of the creative economy in the Emirate of Ajman.
She added that it seeks to support craftsmen and entrepreneurs through specific training and qualification programs, specialized workshops, exhibitions and cultural initiatives that highlight local talent, in addition to providing marketing and promotion opportunities locally and globally, and enhancing cooperation with cultural, educational and creative institutions, in order to raise the competitiveness of Emirati craft products and open new horizons for entrepreneurs in the cultural industries sector.
The Council is based on an ambitious vision to be a leading platform for supporting and empowering craftsmen, preserving the Emirati craft heritage, and enhancing its presence locally and internationally through innovation and qualitative partnerships, which contributes to enhancing the economic and social value of traditional crafts.
The Council targets a wide segment that includes Emirati craftsmen, young people interested in traditional crafts, designers, entrepreneurs in the creative sector, and people of determination with craftsmanship and creative talent and skills, in addition to cultural and heritage entities and visitors. This will strengthen the bonds of cooperation between the various parties concerned to develop the heritage crafts sector and highlight its position as one of the tributaries of cultural and economic development in the emirate.
The Council pays special attention to empowering people of determination by providing opportunities to participate in training programs, workshops and exhibitions, and allowing them to highlight their creativity and craft products, which reflects the Emirate of Ajman’s approach to consolidating the values of community integration and empowering all segments of society to contribute to sustainable development.
The launch of the Council embodies Ajman’s move towards investing in cultural identity as a pillar of development by empowering national talent, encouraging innovation in craft industries, and enhancing the cultural sector’s contribution to diversifying the local economy, thus consolidating the emirate’s position on the map of cultural and creative tourism.
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