Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan has completed the first stage of the Uzbek Gift Contest, aimed at creating compact, high-quality and affordable tourist souvenirs, the Tourism Committee said.
The contest jury selected 10 winning designs and sketches from more than 600 entries. The winners were presented with awards at an event held to mark World Tourism Day, observed on 27 September.
The contest was jointly organized by the Tourism Committee, the Hunarmand Association and the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan. It aims to promote national handicrafts as modern souvenirs for tourists and support the creative potential of artisans from the regions.
At the first stage, designers, artists and other creative professionals submitted sketches and concepts for souvenir products across 25 handicraft categories. Each winner received a cash prize of 12.5 million soums.
The winners were Oтажон Абдухакимов in macramé and hand-weaving, Dilbar Ismoilova in wood carving, Sardorbek Pulatov in souvenir production, Asliddin Bozorov in small-scale sculpture and Gulnora Azimova in gold embroidery.
Other winners included Laylo Zoirova in the production of national dolls and toys, Zakirjon Khalmatov in printed fabrics and embroidered products, Javokhir Ziyodullaev in stone and bone carving, Danil Sanatulin in souvenir production, and Sardorbek Pulatov in chasing and copperwork techniques.
The 10 winning designs and sketches will be handed over to artisans for practical implementation during the second stage of the contest.
