Vision

Focusing on Future Generation

" Young Artisan in the Making"

President Message

I am deeply honoured to lead the World Crafts Council Asia Pacific Region for the next 4 years and in accepting the task and challenge to take it into the next decade of the 21st century.

The World Crafts Council has always been close to our hearts. I believe it is the spirit that has bound us together for the past 40 years in dedicating ourselves to bring about solutions for the livelihood of the craftspeople. We shall continue to encourage and move forward together, to fulfill our dreams, hopes and aspirations for the Crafts people in Asia Pacific Region.

The professional approach which WCC-APR and the National entities have dealt with the various crafts issues, manifest the positive endeavours that have gone to develop a Regional Identity.

I sincerely hope that we shall be able to draw on this strength in the process of strategizing and implementing the next 4-year Plan-of-Action which reflects our vision – Focus on Future Generation especially in giving full attention on Youth, who are our future crafts appreciators, promoters and producers.

In this regard, the Four-Year Work Plan of WCCAPR covering 2009-2012 will
include:

• Crafts and Education starting from kindergarten to tertiary education as well as formal and non-formal education,
• Young Crafts Competition,
• Natural Dye Programme,
• Collaboration with UNESCO Award of Excellence Programme and forging linkages to the successful CRAFTSNET and CraftsMatch programmes to benefit from their results and networking as well as Craft and Tourism to name but a few.

Another Goal we would like to attain is Networking at all levels such as at the national, sub-regional and regional levels and ultimately at the global level. In this connection we should first update our regional website and finding a means to generate information at suitable intervals.

We should also forge closer and mutually beneficial relationship with international and multilateral organizations such as UNESCO, ESCAP, ILO, and UNDP as well as the relevant NGOs and Business Corporations. We shall
invite them to be our Partner in the Promotion and Development of Crafts projects at the regional and sub-regional programmes to improve the quality of arts and crafts with a view to promote rural income generation for the rural poor of our region which covers at least half of the rural population of the world.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the past President and Vice Presidents for their great efforts in bringing the WCC-APR to this successful status and to welcome the new Vice Presidents to the new Board. I know that I can count on them all.

Under my leadership we shall also be assisting the incoming WCC Presidency by having members of WCCAPR who are willing to get involved in the respective Task Forces. Please come forward and share your expertise and experience with the other WCC regions.

Last but not least I should like to invite you to make full use of this more interactive website of WCCAPR by visiting various sections on crafts events and activities. Our WCC APR Blog Page will allow you to interact with us.
The quality of our website depends very much on your kind collaboration to keep us informed of all your activities through the Regional Secretariat so that we can understand your needs and aspirations as well as to include them in the website whenever is applicable.

Looking forward to your continued collaboration,

Warmest Regards,
Surapee Rojanavongse
President – WCC APR