Kyrgyz brands take part in Ala Craft Festival in Almaty

Works of Kyrgyz craftsmen were presented with the works of more than 100 craftsmen from Asia, Europe, Australia and the USA, which emphasized the high level of Kyrgyz craftsmen. The jewelry of Kyrgyz designer and jeweler Zalkar Askaraliev, under his Zalkar brand, especially attracted the attention of visitors. He also noted the symbolic significance of participating in the festival this year. This is my first time participating in the ALA CRAFT festival as a jeweler, and this is a special honor for me. Previously, I showed my works as a clothing designer, and now I am happy to demonstrate the jewelry art of my Zalkar brand. We, the Kyrgyz people, sincerely congratulate that Almaty has been awarded the status of a city of crafts, said Askaraliev.

The festival was the epicenter of an important event for the entire region: on October 5, Almaty was officially awarded the status of World Craft City by the decision of the World Crafts Council. This is a recognition of the city’s contribution to the development of craft traditions and the creative economy. It is worth noting that Kyrgyzstan has internationally recognized experience in this area. According to Aziz Murtazaev, Honorary Member of the Board of the World Crafts Council for Asia-Pacific, Naryn and Issyk-Kul regions of Kyrgyzstan have received the status of craft regions in the areas of yurt and shyrdak making.

Jude van der Merwe, President of the World Crafts Council for Asia-Pacific, noted that the granting of the status of World Craft City opens up new opportunities for the exchange of cultural experiences throughout the region, including in Kyrgyzstan.

Earlier, it was reported that Kyrgyzstan is set to build a logistics center on the Kyrgyz