TEHRAN--Ghorogh Forest Park in Golestan province is to turn into a center for production and distribution of handicrafts in Iran, said Deputy Minister of Handicrafts Maryam Jalali-Dehkordi on Tuesday.

According to IRIB, she stated that handicrafts exhibitions always play a role alongside the cultural events, but national exhibitions with the participation of all provinces have a different color and flavor; especially when they are held with a focus on ethnic groups.

Referring to the capacities of Golestan province, she said that Golestan is one of the best hosts for handicraft festivals and exhibitions due to its ethnic diversity and traditional convergence. 
No ethnic group in this province feels alienated, and this feature has provided the opportunity to create new rituals in form of festivals, she added.
Jalali-Dehkordi stated that National Handicrafts Exhibition was held with participation of 31 provinces and cooperation of the governor-general's office, municipality, and other institutions of Golestan province this year.  “This province has the potential to become a handicrafts theme park, because raw materials such as silk and wood are available in the province itself, and the value chain of handicrafts from production to consumption can be presented in a contemporary and commercialized space.”
She emphasized that creation of a handicrafts park in Ghorogh, in addition to linking it with tourism and employment, will protect the environment. Handicrafts not only do not harm the forest, but even natural waste can be the basis for making the products, she added. 
This park can be a base for small Iran as a tourism hub; where visitors can see a glimpse of the whole of Iran by traveling to Golestan.
She also announced the plan to create a handicraft village in Bandar Gaz and said that this broad plan covers the field of cultural economy and, in addition to handicrafts, will include food, music, clothing and other creative industries.
Ghorogh forest park is located alongside an international road. Its space is about 650 hectares. This is the protected home for Iranian deer. Its facilities are access road, water and electricity networks, supermarket, and other supporting installations.
Asphalt roads inside the park and wildlife zone made this park different from other parks. The location of the second rural museum of Iran is in this park.
KD