President says additional measures taken to develop carpet weaving sector

By Azernews

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan boasts the ancient tradition of carpet-weaving and makes huge efforts to revive the sector by opening new plants and promoting carpets abroad.

The state-run Azerkhalcha Company was established under the presidential decree in May 2016 to achieve these goals and also organize export of valuable Azerbaijani carpets to the world markets. Overall, the company plans to open up 10 plants throughout the country in 2017 and 20 more until 2019. Over 5,000 people will be permanently employed at the plants and absolute majority of them will be women.

Azerkhalcha opened its first regional plant in Horadiz town of the Fizuli region, while the inauguration of the Shamkir branch took place on August 20 with participation of President Ilham Aliyev.

Meeting with carpet-weavers of the plant, President Aliyev said that the plant meets the latest standards and carpets produced here will be sold both in domestic markets and abroad.

“More currency will come to our country. Our country and our ancient carpet art will be represented in the world. Now in many countries people know that there are good traditions of carpet weaving in Azerbaijan, and, having entered the foreign markets, we achieve this goal. This is very important for the propaganda, popularization of our country,” he said.

The President further stressed that additional measures are being taken to develop the art of carpet weaving, and creation of these factories is part of this work.

“In the next stages it is planned to create a spinning-dyeing factory,” the head of state said, adding that this will reduce dependence on foreign paints.

“The issues of wool provision are being addressed. At the same time, you know that sericulture is developing rapidly in Azerbaijan. The manufacture of silk carpets is also on the agenda. That is, the creation of "Azerkhalcha" gave a very great impetus to the preservation of the art of carpet weaving, and to the development of the non-oil sector,” he said.

The construction of the building of the Shamkir branch started in 2016, and ended in 2017. The building occupies a total area of 1100 square meters, while 150 weavers and 12 administrative and other staff will be employed in the branch.  The building consists of a textile workshop, an artist room, a warehouse, a canteen, a medical point and a sales room.

Carpets occupy a preeminent place among all the examples of Azerbaijani craftsmanship. In 2010, the Azerbaijani carpet was proclaimed a Masterpiece of Intangible Heritage by UNESCO.

Ancient Azerbaijani carpets are stored at the White House, the U.S. State Department, and many other museums across the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Museum of Art in Philadelphia, as well as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and Hermitage in St. Petersburg.