Seven-Day Art Exhibition Held at Ikhtiyaruddin Citadel in Herat

An art and handicraft exhibition showcasing works by artists and entrepreneurs from the western region has been launched at Herat’s Ikhtiyaruddin Citadel.

The artworks and handicrafts will be displayed for seven days across 100 stalls. The exhibition is jointly organized by Herat’s Department of Information and Culture and Turkey’s TİKA office.

Hamidullah Ghiyasi, Head of Arts and Culture at Herat’s Department of Information and Culture, said:
“We see that foreign tourists are increasingly visiting Herat and exploring its historical, civilizational, and ancient sites.”

Arafat Deniz, Head of TİKA’s office in Herat, also said: “We always support exhibitions, whether they are related to tourism, art and handicrafts, or domestic products. We are eager to support such events because we know they provide opportunities for producers and artists to enhance their capacity.”

Some foreign tourists noted that security, visits to historical sites, and Afghan hospitality were especially impressive.

British tourist Cesar said: “From the perspective of hospitality, I am truly impressed. I was very surprised by how hospitable the people are. Afghans really take care of their guests. I noticed that you have very close ties with your families, sisters, and brothers. You know, you have a very close relationship.”

Meanwhile, several stallholders expressed concerns about economic difficulties and the lack of markets for their products and artworks. They urged that similar exhibitions should also be organized abroad.

Stallholder Mohammad Ebrahim Habibi said: “It is not enough to only organize exhibitions on Tourism Day. Permanent exhibitions should be held in different provinces and at different times.”

Another stallholder, Mohammad Zahir Darwishi, added: “The Ministry of Information and Culture should invite visitors from other countries, institutions, and embassies to attend such exhibitions. If this happens, the number of tourists coming to Afghanistan will increase.”

Another stallholder, Mohammad Akhtar Haidari, said: “This exhibition introduces the works of artists to the international community and shows that our country has talented artists.”

The purpose of the exhibition is to introduce artworks, handicrafts, and tourist attractions in order to draw the attention of foreign tourists.