2009 At a Glance!

Dear Friends,

Is it 2010 already? What a momentous year 2009 has been! Taking over as President of the World Crafts Council in January of this year was a proud moment for me and for the Crafts Council of India.

With the donning of this role, came the need to define my agenda for the WCC – to advocate the cause of the crafts sector with governments, policy makers, and the business community. Closely linked to advocacy, is the realization that the crafts and the crafts community need to be encouraged into the mainstream economic and social life.

With this agenda in mind, I have defined a five-point program to include membership, marketing (through trade exhibitions, and tourism), education (through workshops and training), communication (through advocacy, networking, and media), and fundraising. I have set up the WCC “dream teams” to focus on specific areas of interest. The enthusiasm of these teams has been amazing from the get go.

This said, I would like to briefly capture our achievements in the months that have gone by.

Membership: We have been in communication with different regions of the WCC – particularly Africa and North America – to rekindle member interest and expand our membership base. We are helping set up Crafts Councils in the African countries, and have also started a dialogue for a Council to be set up in Singapore. Getting North America on its feet has been a focal point this year. We have had fruitful dialogues with our North American representatives.

Exhibitions: Exhibitions have been initiated in full swing. With Africa being identified as the thrust area this year, an exposition of African crafts was held in Vienna. The attendees experienced first-hand, the wealth of high-quality African craftsmanship, and the response was heartening. A craft exhibition called FIART was held in Cuba in mid December, and I am thrilled that five Indian craftspersons were able to get the much-needed exposure to international crafts and workmanship.

Education: We have successfully commenced a program of craft education in four schools in Chennai, India. Nearly 100 children have so far been trained in the intricate workshmanship of palm leaf products. They were given the opportunity to share their experiences and display their work.

Travels: 2009 has been a busy year, with visits made to Paris, Vienna, Karlshrue (Germany), Lucerne (Switzerland), Monza (Italy), Cuba, Mexico City and the US. Channels of communication have been opened with UNESCO in Paris, and UNIDO in Vienna. I have visited craft centres in Chile, dialogued with UNESCO on the Creative Cities Program, and had fruitful meetings with PBS and PBC channels on crafts-related ventures. I have also attended board meetings in Europe and Cuba.

Much has happened in the past few months. I am satisfied that I have been able to cover all WCC regions through visits, communications, and exhibitions during 2009. I believe the stage has been set for an exciting new year.

As WCC gains recognition and momentum through world bodies and governments, 2010 brings with it hopes of new ventures, fresh collaborations, and ongoing expeditions. We look forward, above all, to giving the crafts a voice and advocating its cause to the world at large.

Happy New Year to all!

Usha Krishna