President emphasizes rural handicraft promotion

27 Jul '10

2 min read

The creativity and craftsmanship should be promoted and highlighted among rural people by the Traditional Industries and Small Industries Development Ministry, opined the President, Mahindra Rajapaksa.

While delivering his inaugural speech at Shilpa 2010 exhibition, he stated that, hidden talent and high standard of creativity among rural people of Sri Lanka can be easily presented to the world with the end of 30-year conflict.

The exhibition, wherein the producer or craftsmen are displaying their creations without middlemen, includes over 1,500 craftsmen and small scale industrialists.

A task to upgrade 5,000 indigenous industries to medium scale industries and 200 selected small and medium scale industries to large scale industries has been assigned to the Traditional Industries and Small Industries Development Ministry, informed the President.

Products from indigenous industries depict rich cultural heritage of Sri Lanka. And increase in number of tourists to the country is an opportunity for the Sri Lankan craftsmen to showcase their high standard craftsmanship and creativity to the world, said the President.

The Ministry should introduce novel designs in handicrafts to attain domestic as well as international requirements, he added, commending its efforts to establish handicraft centres like Battaramulla National Craft Centres in other provinces particularly at tourist destinations.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk - India