World Crafts Council

{{Short description|International non-governmental organization}}

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| name = World Crafts Council

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| formation = 1964

| founder = Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
Aileen Osborn Webb
Margaret Merwin Patch

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| website = {{URL|wccinternational.org}}

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The World Crafts Council AISBL (WCC-AISBL){{Cite web |title=UNESCO - World Crafts Council AISBL |url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/accredited-ngos/accredited-ong-01232 |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=Unesco |language=en}} is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that was founded in 1964 to promote fellowship, foster economic development through income generating craft related activities, organize exchange programs, workshops, conferences, seminars, and exhibitions—and in general, to offer encouragement, help, and advice to the craftspersons of the world. The organization is now formally registered in Belgium as an international organization and AISBL is there the French shortcut for an international association without lucrative purpose. The WCC is organised into five regions: Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America. The organization is affiliated to UNESCO.

The WCC was founded in 1964 by Kamaladevi Chattopadhay, Aileen Osborn Webb (who had founded the American Craft Council in 1943.), and Margaret Merwin Patch.{{cite web |title=Our Founders |url=https://www.wccinternational.org/founders |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222120127/https://www.wccinternational.org/founders |archive-date=22 February 2025 |access-date=22 February 2025 |website=WCC International |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Alfoldy |first1=Sandra |title=Crafting Identity: The Development of Professional Fine Craft in Canada |date=2005 |publisher=McGill-Queen's Press |isbn=978-0-7735-7264-5 |page=28 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BA0B2XVz5E0C&pg=PA28 |language=en}} The WCC (Europe) meets once a year and the 2011 meeting was held in Dublin, Ireland.[http://culture360.org/event/dublin-world-crafts-council-europe-conference/ Dublin: World Crafts Council Europe conference, by Judith Staines], 17 May 2011

The World Crafts Council meets every four years. In 2012, the General Assembly occurred in Chennai when [http://www.kaivalam.com/ Usha Krishna] was the President.[http://www.kaivalam.com Kaivalam] Kaivalam Craft Summit After this General Assembly the Presidency will move from India to China. Mr. Wang Shan was the president, Ms. Jing Chen was the Secretary General. In 2014, WCC Golden Jubilee Celebration Summit was held in Dongyang, China, more than 2000 craftspeople from 63 countries participated. In 2016, the General Assembly occurred in Isfahan, Iran[http://isfwcc.ir/wcc18th/Introduction.aspx , The 18th General Assembly of the World Crafts Council Isfahan], 2016 from September 22 to 29.