TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy minister for handicrafts visited local artisans in the city of Shirvan in North Khorasan province on Tuesday and said authorities are working on registering the northeastern city of Shirvan as the country’s national hub for dotar making.
Maryam Jalali-Dehkordi said that one of the main objectives of the trip was to review the progress of the national register file on Dotar craftsmanship. He said the initial stages have been completed and officials are finalizing the paperwork to designate Silvan as a national manufacturing city.
Officials said such a designation could strengthen local capacity and promote Silvan’s technology at the national and international level, according to the report.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Jalali Dekordi emphasized that the structural problems faced by artisans include the prevalence of individual rather than collective activities. She called for the establishment of trade unions, cooperatives, and professional associations to improve access to bank financing, insurance, training, and government support.
The official also stressed that handicrafts cannot survive without a stable market. He said producers need to strengthen marketing, build international connections and expand domestic and international sales channels.
She also mentioned the ministry’s plans aimed at connecting Iranian provinces and neighboring countries and creating cultural exchanges. He said the initiative could open exports, new markets and wider promotion opportunities for Iranian handicrafts.
In 2019, UNESCO, the United Nations cultural organization, added the traditional techniques of making and playing the dotard to its list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. According to UNESCO, the instrument is central to the folk music of the Dotar region, where farmers and local residents make and play it from local wood and pass on relevant knowledge through the tradition of master and disciple.
String instruments are traditionally played at weddings, celebrations, and ceremonies, telling epic, historical, and lyrical stories that reflect a community’s identity. UNESCO says the practice supports coexistence, respect and understanding between local communities and neighboring countries.
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