News
HRH attends an exhibition of Pakistani textile crafts
18th November 2008
The Prince of Wales attended the opening of a unique exhibition of contemporary textile works using traditional Pakistani craft skills at The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in Shoreditch, London.
The exhibition, titled Threads of Change, showcased the result of a unique collaboration between skilled rural women artisans in Pakistan and international designers.
Threads of Change is part of a long-term social development project designed to improve income of skilled women artisans from Pakistan.
It is for the first time their work has been shown to international buyers and retailers.
The aim of the exhibition is to provide women direct access to European markets for high quality textile products, soft furnishings and couture.
Organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) in Pakistan, the exhibition is the result of a three-year pilot project led by the Gender Section of the Secretariat and RSPN. It represents their ongoing commitment to gender issues, poverty reduction and economic empowerment.
The partnership between international designers and the rural women began with a series of masterclass design workshops held in Karachi and in the Northern Areas of Pakistan in September 2007.
Since then, 40 women artisans from the Sindh and Northern Areas have been involved in producing the textile crafts on display which will be marketed directly by the designers.
Up to 30 samples were on show, ranging from cushion covers, dresses, bedding, shawls and wall hangings.
The Prince who celebrated his 60th birthday last week, showed a keen interest in the products on display and praised the artisans for their skilful work.
In his welcoming remarks, Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan praised the collaboration between the different organisations.
He said that the project promises not only economic empowerment of women and help out of poverty but that it had brought the global social development agenda to the heart of fashion and textile industry.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma, who officially opened the event said, “Women continue to make up a disproportionate number of the world’s poor. Empowering them economically to access international markets will be an important step towards helping them achieve sustainable livelihoods, and a key step towards winning the fight against global poverty.”
Along with other guests, The Prince watched a short documentary film on the project and heard women speak about their lives, livelihoods and their hopes to work with international designers.
His Royal Highness was later presented with Sindhi Ajrak shawl by Dr Sono Khangharani of Thardeep Rural Support Programme.
The exhibition has been organised in keeping with the work of The Prince’s School for Traditional Arts which regenerates and sustains traditional art forms both in the UK and internationally.