Crafts and folk art: Srinagar in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and the Kashmir Pashmina GI

Background

UNESCO records Srinagar as a member of its Creative Cities Network in the category Crafts and Folk Art, a member since 2021.
UNESCO's city page states that Srinagar is known for its unique handicrafts and handloom products, and that since the 14th century the city has become known for its rich arts and crafts tradition and heritage. The artisan base of the city is described as tens of thousands of craftspeople strong across a large number of crafts disciplines, with a flourishing arts and crafts market and many direct links between the artisans and the places where their products are shown.
As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, UNESCO's page sets out the steps it says will be important for the city: contributing to improving the local living environment and working infrastructure for the creative field concerned, integrating a special focus on local craftspeople for sustainable development, encouraging different groups, notably young people, women and vulnerable groups, to develop their skills in crafts and folk art, and promoting knowledge exchange, innovation and information dissemination in the creative field of crafts.
The territory's best known craft product carries a separate legal protection: the Ministry of Textiles records that the Pashmina shawl is registered as Kashmir Pashmina vide application No.46 under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
A geographical indication is an indication used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.