2nd World Crafts Forum (WCF) – Kuwait 2026

2nd World Crafts Forum (WCF) – Kuwait 2026

World Crafts Council AISBL (WCC AISBL) is pleased to announce that the Second Edition of the World Crafts Forum (WCF) will be held in Kuwait from 1 to 3 February 2026.

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: 1 – 3 February 2026

Venue: Kuwait National Library & Cultural Venues

Organized by:

● World Crafts Council AISBL (WCC AISBL)

In collaboration with:

● National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), Kuwait

● Al Sadu House, Kuwait

Knowledge partners:

● UNESCO

FORUM THEME

Crafts in the Creative Economy

Shaping Socio-Economic Resilience, Cultural Identity, and Sustainable Futures in the Arab States and Beyond

GLOBAL CONTEXT & BACKGROUND

Founded in 1964, the World Crafts Council AISBL (WCC AISBL) emerged at a time when the post-war world was redefining identity, livelihoods, and cultural continuity. Over the last 60 years, WCC AISBL has played a pivotal role in shaping the global crafts movement—supporting artisans, safeguarding traditional knowledge, influencing cultural policy, and fostering international cooperation. This work has significantly contributed to how crafts have been understood, valued, and sustained across continents.

However, the world has changed dramatically in the last 2–3 decades. Globalization, rapid urbanization, climate crisis, technological disruption, and shifting economic power have transformed societies and markets. OPEC and Gulf nations, once primarily associated with oil and gas, are today at the forefront of a profound transformation—strategically investing in culture, heritage, creative industries, and knowledge economies. This shift has demonstrated to the world that tradition and modernity can coexist, and that culture can be a cornerstone of sustainable futures.

In this context, Kuwait, with its deep cultural roots and progressive vision, emerges as a natural leader for the next phase of WCC AISBL’s journey. The launch of the WCC Arab States Region at this Forum marks not only a regional consolidation, but a strategic reorientation of WCC AISBL toward shaping the next 60 years—where regions are empowered as engines of policy, innovation, and global collaboration.

Building on the Delhi Declaration (2024), the World Crafts Forum – Kuwait 2026 will culminate in the presentation of the Draft Kuwait Declaration on Crafts & the Creative Economy, setting directions for crafts in relation to:

● Socio-economic development

● Climate responsibility

● SDGs

● Creative economy frameworks

●  Technology, fashion, and ethical innovation

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