This year the Silk and Spices Festival took place from 15-18 June in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. HNI affiliate Bukhara Crafts Development Centre is the founder of the festival, which dates back 20 years. On this occasion around 500 people from around the world attended the event, as well as 50 artisans.
The festival is held by a presidential decree, given that the small businesses have become unique and of importance to the country. The goal of the festival is to develop tourism and handicrafts, and to be a bridge between cultural dialogue and commonwealth.
About Bukhara Crafts Development Centre
The mission of the Centre is as follows:
- To preserve and develop the cultural heritage and traditional crafts of the Uzbek people.
The purpose and tasks of the Centre are:
- To revive lost kinds of crafts.
- Through the revival of ancient crafts, teach women and youth how to create them.
- Establish "Master and Apprentice" schools.
- Create new jobs especially in rural and mountainous areas
- Organise festivals and fairs
- Broadly advertise the products of craftsmen and artisans in the international market.
- To protect the interests of craftsmen and creative people before the government.
