Kuzeh Konan city, located in the central district of Shabestar county, is one of the hubs of pottery in Iran.
Due to abundance of high quality clay in the city, residents of Kuzeh Konan have turned into well-known pottery masters across Iran.
Today, the number of pottery workshops in the city has decreased to about 30, but their products are still shining in public places and people’s houses.
The Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of East Azarbaijan Province in collaboration with Kuzeh Konan municipality and Shabestar Governorate plans to register the city as the national pottery city in order to protect the glorious history of pottery handicrafts in the small city.
Local observers laud the move, saying that such a registration will help stop demise of the art in the region.
Ramin Asbaghi, deputy head of East Azarbaijan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department, has urged Kuzeh Konan municipality to name a square in the city as the pottery square and place the plaque of national registration in the square.
He expressed hope that proper coordination will end up in registration of the city and the art on world lists.
Rahim Seddighian, deputy governor general of Shabestar County, said that holding art and photography tours can help reflect capacities of the city in Iran and around the world.
Bagheri Mousavian, Kuzeh Konan mayor, told IRNA that the city officials try to improve pottery industry from traditional to industrial scale.
According to the mayor, the Kuzeh Konan municipality is planning for holding numerous exhibitions to introduce the city’s pottery to other fellow Iranians.
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