Kiswa artisans are given special ID

RECOGNITION: Workers at the Kiswa factory in Makkah.

RIYADH: Artisans working in the Kiswa factory are listed in the national register of artisans and craftsmen by the National Handicraft Program (Bari), which aims at achieving a sustainable and balanced development in the handicraft sector. Kiswa is the cover of the Kabaa.

"The National Handicraft Program has issued 21 craftmen's cards for the artisans working in the Kiswa factory at the initiative of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH)," a Bari official said here Tuesday.
"This move is part of the project of registering national artisans and craftsmen of Bari," he added.
Jasir Al-Harbash, Bari general superintendent, expressed appreciation for the cooperation shown by the Al-Kiswa factory and its staff, notably, SCTNH President Prince Sultan bin Salman, who is also the head of the Supervisory Committee of Bari, who had started the national register of artisans and craftsmen earlier this year.
The national register of artisans and craftsmen is a primary means of documenting handicrafts in the Kingdom, as well as listing Saudi artisans, both men and women.
It has an integrated database that includes the artisan’s name, civil register number, age, gender and all other essential information about the artisan.
Each artisan registered is provided with an ID, updated periodically, that can be used in various events inside and outside the Kingdom. The registered artisans will be the focus of every event, workshop or handicraft investment project.
Bari works on a number of activities to support and develop handicrafts and artisans, thus supporting investment in this area.
The vision of the program is to retain heritage handicraft as part of the national identity, as well as create jobs and be a source of income and a key to revitalizing heritage, tourism and trade.
Bari, a flagship program of the SCTNH, has signed an agreement with the Turquoise Mountain Foundation (TMF) of Charles, Prince of Wales, last year to promote handicrafts in the Kingdom and support local artisans through training provided by TMF trainers.
The agreement aims to spur professional and scientific exchange for students, teachers and artisans belonging to TMF and Bari, as well as
promote mutual cooperation for the development of some of the heritage villages in the Kingdom.