Brussels, Belgium, July 3, 2006--An Iranian businessman in Belgium has launched a self-initiative to promote not only the sale but also the history, art and value of Iranian carpets in Europe, according to Islamic Republic New Agency.
Khamaktchian Company has been represented in Brussels since 1973 and is specialized in the import and sale of Persian fine rugs, carpets and kilims.
Its manager, Kazem Khamaktchian, from Tabriz belongs to a family which since four generations have been engaged in manufacturing and selling Persian rugs.
His carpet center is housed in a 3-storied beautiful 1908 mansion, where one will find an inventory of beautiful decorative rugs of all regions of Iran, in a large choice of dimensions, design, colors and prices.
The ground floor is devoted to commercial activity, the second floor functions as an academy and the third floor has been converted to an 'Oriental Carpet Museum' displaying the best in Iranian carpets.
Iran's ambassador to Belgium, Ali Ahani, inaugurated the museum Saturday night. He lauded Khamaktchian's efforts to publicize Iranian carpet and art and culture of the Islamic Republic.
Khamaktchian, president of the Iranian Carpet Importers Association in Belgium, in an interview with IRNA said his academy gives lessons twice a month in French and Flemish on how the carpet is produced and on the designs and value of the carpets.
Surrounded by piles of luxurious hand-woven carpets, he said the aim to open the museum was to make the Europeans aware of the carpet industry of Iran. He proudly displayed a 150 year-old-carpet which is valued at 150,000 euro.
There are about 30 Iranian carpet businessmen in Belgium where the carpet business is estimated at 300 million euro per year.
Khamaktchian urged the Iranian government to give more support and attention to the carpet industry by launching a global advertisement campaign in international media like Euronews, CNN and BBC.
He said the Iranian government should also subsidize Iranian carpet exports.
Yaghoub Nobari, ex-president of the Iranian Carpet Importers Association in Germany and the one of the most experienced experts in Iranian carpets, came from Hamburg to participate in the inauguration of the museum.
Nobari, who has been living in Germany since 1954 and is now 79-years old, told IRNA that it was necessary to open such an exhibition to attract the peoples attention.
He lamented that carpet dealers were holding regular sales which brings the price of the carpet very down.
"This center is full of beautiful and artistic carpets will attract the people."
He said the carpet market in the whole of Europe is in a very bad situation.
Nobari cited a number of reasons for this such as the lack of interest in hand-made carpets by the new generation.
"They prefer modern designs, machine or hand-made. India and China are doing this. Other countries like Iran, Pakistan and Turkey are still following the traditional way."
Another reason is the expensive price of Iranian carpets due to high wages of carpet workers in Iran as compared to countries like India and Pakistan where wages are very low and hence the carpets are also cheaper.
The economic stagnation in Europe is one more reason for the dismal state of affairs of the carpet market.
Nobari complained that the Iranian government is not paying much attention to the hand-woven carpet industry. It pays 15 percent as subsidy to machine-made carpets but nothing to hand-woven carpets.
Fifteen million people in Iran are being fed by the carpet industry, he noted.
He also called on the government to support a global advertisement campaign to promote Iranian carpets.
The main buyers of Iranian hand-made carpets are Europe, the US, Japan, South Africa and the Persian Gulf littoral states.
