Submissions must received by: 20 July 2007

Selection by international panel of judes: 19 - 20 September 2007

Announcement and presentation of SEAL together with opening ceremony of Exhibition and Trade Fair: 1 October 2007

Exhibition and Trade Fair:

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History of AHPADA
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     Asean Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA) was established as a result of a Workshop on Handicraft for Export held as part of CONEX'81 which was hosted by the Royal Thai Government in February 1981 in Bangkok. AHPADA was formally inaugurated in Jakarta in March that year as a forum for both the government and private sectors concerned to meet and complimenting each other in the promotion and development of handicrafts activities.

     AHPADA is affiliated to the ASEAN and the World Craft Council. The founding members were Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. Singapore and Brunei Darusalam joined in a little later. Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam joined in September 1999.

     At the Regional Meeting of AHPADA Board held in Bangkok in September 1999 when it was Thailand's turn to be the President of AHPADA again. Mrs. Surapee Rojanavongse was elected the first President of AHPADA from 1981 to 1988, since then the Presidency rotated among the ASEAN Countries who were ready to take on the responsibility on an alphabetical order.
AHPADA Objectives
  1. To take common approach to develop and promote the marketing of crafts within and outside the ASEAN Region.
  2. To operate as a focal point of promotion of ASEAN handicrafts and raw materials required for production, trade fairs and exhibitions.
  3. To strengthen and improve the status of craftspeople.
  4. To create employment opportunities especially in the rural areas.
  5. To preserve traditional craft skills within the context of conservation of cultural heritage.
  6. To educate and create awareness and appreciation of the authentic handicrafts of ASEAN Countries.
  7. To build up an archive of ASEAN CRAFT information, i.e. forming a database for research and development.
     With the recent economic downturn in most ASEAN Countries, AHPADA's objectives are more than ever relevant. Most producers are among the rural poors and the majority of them are very small entrepreneurs.

     AHPADA works at both national level through the national focal points and at the international level through the Board of AHPADA and the Regional Secretariat which is permanently based in Bangkok, Thailand.

     Since 1981 AHPADA had been able to act as a catalyst and initiators in the promotion and development of ASEAN CRAFTS through seminars, workshops and exhibitions, often in partnership with several multinational and international organizations such as CBI, CIDA, UNESCO, UNIFEM, UNDP, ITC-UNTAD-ESCAP and ILO.