I have recently returned from representing Australian metal craft at the celebration of the city of Anxi in China being granted WCC as a handicraft city. I was invited by the China Arts and Crafts Association as part of a delegation of metal workers and handcraft practitioners to collaborate with the metal craft and the rattan handicraft industries of Anxi on authenticity and excellence in product making. Six of us were trained in a cultural product program developed by Dr Joseph who has extensive experience working with traditional handicraft communities across Asia.

The WCC Award of excellence for handicraft pilot training of trainers were:

Ms. Rajeshwari Sathyanarayana from India,

Dr. Anton Hasell from Australia,

Mr. Prach Miyomkar from Thailand,

Ms. Vida Tavahodi from Iran,

Mr. Aziz Murtazaev from Uzbekistan

Ms. Sun Yueqi from Beijing

Two mentors from WCC, Ms. Manjari Nirula, Senior VP and AoE Committee Chair of WCC-APR and Mr. Indrasen Vencatachellum, Advisor of WCC also participated.

After our training we engaged with 30 Anxi local handicraft industry leaders to explore opportunities arising from improving authenticity and excellence in the products they manufactured for the market. It was an opportunity to show the 3D printed titanium bell and the elliptical bell cast in bronze from a 3D plastic print foundry pattern I took with me to share with interested Chinese metal craft producers as examples of innovation in digital design and digital manufacturing processes.

We also were privileged to join in the city-wide celebration of Anxi becoming a WCC handicraft City. Ms Rosy Greenlees, president of the WCC and the British Craft Council was present at the presentation ceremony along with Dr Ghada Hijjawai-Qaddumi president of WCC Asia Pacific Region.