Lao Handicraft Festival to showcase traditional artisans
Lao Handicraft Festival to showcase traditional artisans
The Lao Handicraft Association has invited members and artisans from the provinces to prepare their arts and crafts for exhibition and sale at the upcoming 12th Lao Handicraft Festival.
The festival will be held at Lao-ITECC in Vientiane from October 23 - November 3. This period includes National Handicraft Day on November 1 and marks the association's 15th anniversary.
The festival was announced yesterday at a press conference held at the Lao Journalists' Association in Vientiane, which was attended by the association's Vice President, Mr Somsanouk Mixay.
The Lao Handicraft Association expects that over 200 booths displaying handicrafts will feature at the exhibition.
Over the seven days of the event, there will be an array of products for sale and many activities for exhibitors and visitors to take part in, Lao Handicraft Association President, Mr Hanesana Sisane, said at the press conference.
The exhibition will include silk and cotton fabrics made with natural dyes, as well as jewellery, woodcarvings and non-timber forest products, pottery and agricultural produce.
Handicraft producers and artisans will be able to share their experiences in terms of designing, marketing and improving product quality, through a special seminar, Mr Hanesana said.
The festival will also feature demonstrations of handicraft production, as well as a competition based on the theme ‘Lao handicraft promotion to reduce plastic bag use'.
This contest will be open to members of the association, artisans, and young people aged over 15, to seek the best promotional idea. There will also be a fashion show to promote the merits of Lao silk, and fashions in particular.
For many years, traditional textiles made from Lao cotton and silk have been in demand among foreign visitors, who always want to buy at least one item before they leave the country, said Ms Souvita Paserth, a board member of the Lao Handicraft Association.
This year, the association aims to gather original handicraft products from local communities that are on the verge of disappearing, and put them on display, added another association board member, Mr Tariboun Lattanavong.
The festival is dedicated to promoting the work of Lao handicraft producers and artisans, and encouraging product development and business expansion.
The association hopes to take advantage of the Asean Economic Community and the greater access it will provide to regional markets.
vientiane times
