Expo to promote creativity among women kicks off?

Islamabad:A two-day expo to promote women in the creative industry of Pakistan organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) kicked off at a local hotel here on Saturday.

A large number of women from across Pakistan took part in the expo while it attracted a large number of local and foreign buyers.
After the opening ceremony, Engr. Shadia Yousif Bakhait, Chief of UNIDO, Pakistan said that exhibition is a good tool to empower women entrepreneurs.

This event provides an opportunity to women entrepreneurs to display and market their products, develop skills, find new customers and improve networking, she said.

Bakhait said that UNIDO is a pioneer in introducing creative industries while our Women Entrepreneur Development Programme focus on promoting gender integration and non-traditional sub-sectors of marble mosaic, inlay and handicrafts, home textiles and gems and jewellery, she said. She called upon women entrepreneurs to design products keeping latest local and international trends in the mind adding that serious efforts aimed at diversity can guarantee success.

UNIDO chief said that consumers are turning to the web and social networking sites because of convenience therefore business women should also utilise these toold for development.

Shahina Waheed, National Programme Coordinator, UNIDO said that we are building capacity of women through providing training, holding expos and workshops etc. with the help of local and foreign experts.
We are focusing on product development, developing creativity for design business, gems identification, carving, faceting and jewellery making in collaboration with strategic partners, she added.

The efforts to build capacity of women, develop their linkages with national and international markets, develop partnerships with value chain operators will continue, said Shahina Waheed.
The challenging but inspirational exhibition highlighted jewellery, handicrafts, garments, paintings, weaving, beadwork, painting, baskets, embroidery and other traditional folk arts.Serena Hotels also collaborated in the event to bring buyers and sellers at a platform while representatives of FPCCI, IWCCI and other associations were also present on the occasion.