TEHRAN -- Iran has launched a national handicrafts exhibition series aimed at connecting authentic Iranian arts and crafts with online marketplaces, with the first event set to open in Hamadan as part of a broader effort to expand commercial opportunities for artisans.
Farzad Ojani, director general of the Marketing and Commercialization Office for Handicrafts at Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, said the first national handicrafts exhibition of the year will be held from August 17 to 21 at the Hamadan International Permanent Exhibition Center.
He said the exhibition calendar was prepared based on the economic capacities of different provinces following assessments by the ministry’s marketing office and in cooperation with provincial cultural heritage departments.
The Hamadan event will bring together exhibitors from across Iran, with 28 provinces joining the host province and presenting their works through 183 booths covering more than 6,000 square meters of exhibition space.
Ojani said the exhibition introduces a new approach by combining Iran’s traditional arts and crafts with modern sales platforms.
“Through agreements that have been signed, several online marketplaces will participate in the exhibition and, through specialized training programs, help artisans benefit from digital commerce opportunities,” he said.
The initiative seeks to provide artisans with greater access to 
modern sales channels while preserving the cultural identity and artistic value of Iran’s traditional crafts.
Ojani described the Hamadan exhibition as the beginning of a nationwide series of events, with exhibitions in Zanjan and Ardabil scheduled to follow on September 3 and 4.
The Hamadan handicrafts exhibition will be open to visitors daily from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., showcasing a wide range of Iranian handicrafts while highlighting new pathways for their promotion and commercialization.