Kuwait, February 23 (QNA) - The World Crafts Council (WCC) has selected the State of Kuwait to chair the first cycle of the newly established Arab States region.

According to a statement issued Monday by Kuwait's National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), the decision was adopted through an official resolution approved during meetings of the Council's Board of Directors and General Assembly held in Kuwait this February, on the sidelines of the World Crafts Forum.

The resolution endorsed the restructuring of the Council's regional framework and the establishment of an independent Arab States region alongside the Asia Pacific region, with the aim of strengthening governance, enhancing regional representation, and improving program effectiveness.

The statement also highlighted the forum's executive recommendations adopted under the "Kuwait Declaration" which emphasized the integration of crafts into national creative economy and sustainable development policies as a dynamic and productive sector.

The recommendations called for empowering artisans and safeguarding their professional and economic dignity, including through social protection measures and intellectual property rights, as well as developing fair markets and equitable value chains based on transparency and fair pricing.

They further stressed the importance of adopting clear ethical frameworks to guide digital and technological transformation, investing in education, knowledge transfer, and long-term capacity building, and supporting crafts as environmentally sustainable and socially responsible solutions, including protecting livelihoods during crises and conflicts. (QNA)