Vision for the next four years in a nutshell is “ Collaborate to Capture”!

We need to collaborate with the different regions, countries, craftsmen, designers and other resource people. We need to be in constant dialogue with International Organisations like UNESCO, UNIDO, World Bank etc. We need to form linkages with other NGOs and similar organisations. We need to tap successful business communities, who, now more than ever feel the need to be socially responsible and service various causes. We need to use the power of the media, to advocate the cause of crafts and crafts people.

We intend to capture the attention of policy makers, so that they can execute programmes beneficial to the craft communities. We need to capture markets with aggressive marketing strategies. We need to capture the mind share of the consumer, so that we understand their mindset and adapt the crafts accordingly. We definitely need to capture the attention of our youth by introducing crafts early in their lives. We need to sensitize our children to their cultural heritage., Craft being the vital medium through which value systems are transmitted through generations. We need to urge Governments, NGOs, other communities and world bodies to integrate the craft sector into their agendas.

In the realm of quality, programmes like the UNESCO Seal of Excellence are a great idea. This ensures that quality gets embedded in the mind of the craftsperson. We need to get customer –oriented and understand the needs of the customer and adapt accordingly.  We need to share marketing inputs from region to region, country to country, with openness.

We need to use the power of advertising and PR, of TV and mass media, to spread the craftsperson’s reach and globalize his story. Perhaps even feature on an Oprah Winfrey show. Create a sensation and thereby give voice to the craftsperson.  The more the awareness, the more the artisan can benefit, because now his story begins to be heard world over.

I see the role of the WCC President to be facilitative rather than directive, with tremendous potential to influence.

I intend to create task forces, my DREAM TEAMS, set up region wise, to make things happen.

The DREAM TEAMS will

• Focus on programmes of high common interest.
• Create and expand partnerships with organizations.
• We need to talk to Governments, Chambers of Commerce, WTO and other trade bodies to create a special status for crafts thereby bringing the crafts industry on par with other industries.
• Introduce crafts as a curriculum in schools and get children sensitised to crafts and crafts people early in life.
• Encourage dialogue with members and organizations and generate ideas and working plans through these dialogues.
• Make available to the crafts community the dispersed wealth of information and resources by creating an international Directory of Resources for Artisans.
• Institute exchange programmes to share knowledge and expertise.
• Create partnerships that bring design and technology to the service of the artisans. Develop guidelines where the craftsperson and the designer can interact, always keeping in touch with current consumer and market trends.
• Talk to present and past members to get their insights into the reasons for inactive memberships. Innovate ways to augment member interest and involvement.
• The thrust in the coming years will be Africa. 
• We need to reactivate America and Canada.
• Work on the craft tourism linkage. Use the value of tourism as the fastest growing industry in the global economy today.

"I hope all of us can join hands and fulfill the aspirations of the DREAM TEAMS!!"