A group of Iranian women artisans presented their skills at a handicraft exhibition running parallel to the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
The five-day exposition, titled 'BRICS Bazaar,' will run from September 10 to 15. It features handicrafts from BRICS member countries with the aim of strengthening cultural and artistic cooperation, as well as broader economic and political ties.
According to an IRNA correspondent in the Indian capital, this exhibition was conceived as a symbol of cultural bonds between the participating nations. At the entrance of the exhibition, hand-woven carpets from the member countries are displayed in various colors, highlighting the cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity of the BRICS group.
Amenah Sedighi, an artisan from Iran's northern Gilan province, told IRNA that her participation aimed to present traditional Iranian embroidery, specifically Rashti-duzi, to international guests. She specified that this craft has a history dating back 330 to 550 years BC and was originally practiced by men but is now performed by women.
According to Sedighi, who teaches this craft, Rashti-duzi is made using natural silk thread from Gilan and a special hook. She noted: 'We were able to demonstrate the outstanding art of Rashti-duzi and the traditional art of our country to visitors at this exhibition.'
Sedighi added that foreign guests, especially Indians, showed significant interest in Iranian crafts and highly appreciated the host government's cooperation with Iranian masters. The exhibition also emphasizes the similarities between Kashmiri and Iranian crafts. A representative from Kashmir explained this similarity due to close cultural ties between the two peoples, according to IRNA.
The BRICS group, named after its original members Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was founded in 2009 and has since expanded beyond its founding membership.