Establishment of Craft Societies

Traditional handicrafts that confirm Sri Lankan identity have been of special value since ancient times. Accordingly, in order to protect and maintain traditional industries, including the four-lathe (Pattal) industry, royal titles and even villages ownwership have been given in the past. Those craft generations have survived even now.

In addition, handicrafts that emerged and migrated based on various reasons and needs, were maintained for many generations and spread as groups and with its development, became craft villages. The National Crafts Council has been established with the aim of developing and preserving those traditional handicrafts.

Accordingly, in order to more effectively and systematically implement the development activities of artisans in villages that represent traditional handicrafts such as Sesath, Laksha, gold and silver jewelry, brass sculptures and carvings, wooden sculptures and carvings, drum patterns, musical instruments, clay-based products, masks, stone sculptures and carvings, etc., those artisan groups have been brought together, formed craft societies and registered with the National Crafts Council.

In addition to the traditional craft sectors, artisans who have grouped themselves into groups such as mats, canes and bamboo, coconut shell-based crafts, palm and frond-based crafts, reed-based products, etc., and artisans engaged in various handicrafts have been gathered and established societies under a formal constitution.

Accordingly, the number of craft societies that have been established and registered at present is more than 200, and the National Crafts Council has developed the necessary infrastructure for industries in more than one hundred and fifty such villages under special development projects in the past.

In addition, a formal program has been prepared and is being implemented to improve the economic and social conditions through craft society companies established throughout the island.

*  Raw material problems of artisans in regional craft societies, improvement of product quality, coordination of market opportunities and development of productivity.

*  Establishment of district craft societies under a formal constitution representing regional craft societies.

*  Establishment of district craft societies as a formal and strong structure to formulate plans to solve the existing problems of regional craft societies and implement them

*  Provincial craft societies will be established to represent district craft societies and to empower provincial craft societies as a strong and formal mechanism to achieve the objectives of finding solutions to the problems of artisans identified at each district level, improving the economic and social status of artisans, welfare of artisans, and knowledge and technology transfer of artisans