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AFGHAN INSPIRATIONS EXHIBIT
BRINGS AFGHAN ARTS MESSAGE
TO LAS VEGAS WORLD MARKET
Mary Lynn Landgraf, left, of the US Department of Commerce office of Textiles & Apparel; Khalil Rahimi of Choobi Oriental Rugs, Raleigh, NC, and Noor Alam of the Afghanistan Investment & Reconstruction Task Force
U.S. Department of Commerce. Alam was a principal developer and organizer of the exhibition.
By Lissa Wyman
LAS VEGAS -- The art of Afghan hand woven rugs and that country's rich heritage of handicrafts was the subject of Afghan Inspirations: Rug Renaissance Coveted Traditions, a special exhibition at the Las Vegas World Market Center during last week's Winter market.
The exhibition brought the message of the Afghan rug industry to the West Coast. A year ago, a similar exhibition was presented at AmericasMart Atlanta.
In addition to more than 10 Afghan carpet exporters featuring their products in this specialty showcase, Dr. Mir Muhammad Amin Farhang, the Afghan Minister of Commerce and Industry and Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad, Afghan Ambassador to the United States, were on hand during the Afghan Gala and Buffet, January 29 from 5 to 7 p.m. The event featured Afghan culture, cuisine, carpets, fashion and music.
"The Las Vegas Market is the host of our fourth major international carpet show in only a few short years. With the efforts of our newly-established Export Promotion Agency of Afghanistan, we have been able to organize Afghan business delegations to present their best work at international trade exhibits across the U.S., Germany, United Arab Emirates and locally in Kabul," said Farhang in his welcome to attendees of the exhibition.
Farhang also noted that carpets are Afghanistan's top official export, which employees over one million people.
The Global Trade Atlas reports that $2.4 million in textile floor coverings (carpets) from Afghanistan were exported to the U.S. in 2006, according to Noor Alam, international trade specialist with the Afghanistan Investment & Reconstruction Task Force US Department of Commerce. Alam was one of the principal organizers of the exhibition.
Alam noted, however, that the value of Afghan rugs coming into the US is probably higher than the official $2.4 million figure. "The figures do not account for the large numbers of Afghan carpets shipped to the US from Pakistan," she said.
"Anywhere from 80 to 97% of Afghan carpet production is sent to Pakistan for finishing. The rugs are then are shipped from Pakistan as a Pakistani export. So, rugs manufactured in Afghanistan get included in Pakistani carpets export numbers. As a result, the official statistics for Afghan carpet exports to the U.S. or anywhere in the world is hard to measure," she explained.
The Afghan exhibition was part of an effort by the US Commerce Department to help international trade between the Afghan carpet industry and the US, according to Mary-Lynn Landgraf of the US Department of Commerce office of Textiles & Apparel. "By strengthening trade between our two countries, we also help to support the people in Afghanistan as they develop industry in a post-Taliban political era," she said.
Participating Afghan rug companies included: The Afghan Women's Business Federation, Hamayon Bashir Ltd., Hussainy Carpet Manufacturer & Export Co.; Kabul Carpet Manufacturer & Exporter Association, Khalmohammadi, Mejeedyar Ltd., Qadir Rauf Co. and Turkmen Rugs Private Ltd.
Sponsors of the event included: The US Department of Commerce, The Afghan Investment & Reconstruction Task Force, the US Agency of International Development, the Embassy of Afghanistan, and The Export Promotion Agency of Afghanistan.
American retailers of Afghan descent were also on hand to serve as interpreters and to help organize and set up the exhibition. These US-based special contributors included Khyber Pass, Inc., Laguna Beach, CA; Zamani Gallery & Antiques, Oakbrook, CT and Ariana Rugs, Buford GA. (Darush Aziz of Ariana provided translating services for the event.)
Darush Aziz of Ariana Rugs, Buford, GA, left, with Afghan exhibitor Jawad Hussainy, deputy director of Farsham
Carpet, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Assadullah Khalmohammadi, left, managing director of Khal Momammadi Rugs in Kabul, Afghanistan, with Temur Zamani, Zamani Gallery & Antiques, Sterling, VA. The Afghan exhibit provided a great opportunity for rug retailers of Afghan descent to meet and greet their countrymen.
Mohammad Hamayon, vice president of Hamayon & Bashir Co., Kabul, Afghanistan.
Darush Aziz of Ariana Rugs, Buford and Pendergrass, GA, with Mary Lynn Landgraf of the US Department of Commerce.
02.08.08 |