TEHRAN – An academy of handicrafts was inaugurated in downtown Tehran on Saturday, becoming first of its kind in the Iranian capital.

District 9 of the Tehran Municipality runs the academy in close collaboration with the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, Mehr reported.

“The handicrafts school aims to promote entrepreneurial sprite, to support innovation and creativity … and to cater for job opportunities,” said Roya Fathi, an official with the municipality.

The courses cover both theoretical classes and practical workshops from Saturday to Thursday, she added.

Export of Iranian handicrafts, excluding suitcase trade, witnessed some 70 percent year-on-year hike in the first nine months of the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20).

Dozens of Iranian handicrafts have gained the UNESCO Seal of Excellence during the past couple of years.

PHOTO: Potter makes a jug out of clay

AFM/MQ