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- Sardor, you took part in the activities on safeguarding and development traditional crafts of Kashkadarya region. How would you assess the effectiveness of these activities and what would you advise to make them even more effective?

- The idea of holding this event in this region was important both for local craftspeople and for all inhabitants of the Kashkadarya region. After all, traditions can be lost if they are left without attention and support. Therefore, such trainings are important to change the situation and safeguard the traditional craftsmanship.

I would like to highlight the contribution of "Atlas Bayrami" (ed.: festival of traditional textiles held in Margilan) to the development of the region. If we analyze the changes from the first Festival in 2015 to the present day, we can see how the cultural status of the region, social life of people and infrastructure for tourism have changed.

Developed culture and art (craftsmanship is both), give impetus to the development of society in all directions.

The effect of this event may not be felt immediately, but it has been already there, there is a shift in people's consciousness which leads to positive changes. So far, the format of the events, in my opinion, has been chosen correctly and includes all the necessary components. I wanted this type of event to become traditional and regular for the region.

- What kind of difficulties do craftspeople face in promoting and selling their products?

- Promotion and sale – these are the main difficulties. If there is a good market for craft goods, the interest in craftsmanship will also grow, and traditions will be safeguarded. Unfortunately, this is not the case now. Based on this, we can conclude that the main problem of craftspeople is the lack of a market. As long as there is no system for selling craft products, everything will remain the same.

I see a few things that are preventing it. First, the fear of craftspeople to lose the authorship of their products. It can be solved by simplification of registration of copyrights. Secondly, the Internet is not mastered. We need platforms for online sales and product promotion. Thirdly, we have a complex mechanism for selling products abroad. It is necessary to simplify the system so that the craftspeople could directly receive money from the customer and send the goods by mail. Fourthly, consumer fear for the quality of the goods. In my opinion, it is necessary to keep a "trademark" or "quality certificate", which would guarantee the quality of the goods on different indicators. This would be the first step to improve the situation. However, of course, for a complete changes it is necessary to conduct training on marketing and branding for craftspeople.

- What does the success of sales depend on?

- Contemporary situation requires mastering the Internet, as well as social networks and messengers, which offer great opportunities for sales. The question is what we do when faced with these opportunities. Young craftspeople are familiar with Instagram, Telegram and, within the limits of their possibilities; they use them for their work, but not so much as to have a real effect. In addition, not everybody in the older generation uses the Internet.

People should understand that the Internet is a good tool for business, work and search for new ideas. Craftspeople need online platforms where they can exhibit and sell their products. Often, people are afraid to hand over their products for sale.

- In your opinion, how can the original nature of traditional crafts be safeguarded in the period of globalization and commercialization of the market?

- You need find, create and meet the demand for the goods! How do we choose a product if price is not a crucial? By the value of the good! The higher the value of a product, the higher the price. Simply the simple citizen is not very interested in the fact that it is handmade, that natural materials are used, that the product is authentic. He may have other requirements and values. It has always been like that.

Those things that we call traditional now were once innovations. How, for example, do Japanese or Chinese sell their souvenirs? They tell the story of the product. Academician Akbar Hakimov and art historian Binafsha Nodir spoke about the origin and significance of traditional patterns. After such stories, you start to look at the products in a different way. People begin to understand the meaning of what they see and put their own into it. Anything can be sold with an impressive story about it. We need such stories.

- How to ensure the competitiveness of products on the market?

- The scheme is as follows: you initially have a quality product; you add quality service to it and build a loyalty programme that will ensure profitable behavior of your consumers.

A good product - additional services - bonuses in the future, if briefly.

I will tell you on the example of traditional decorative hand embroidery - suzane. The skilled worker makes beautiful suzane for a bride's dowry. Usually such a suzane comes only once in a lifetime. However, in order not to lose customers, you offer them service after sale. For example, a discount on cleaning the suzane, a discount on the purchase of another suzane in a year, when the child is born, etc.

- Goals 8 and 11.4 of Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 aim to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. To what extent can the development of crafts entrepreneurship bring Uzbekistan closer to achieving these goals? What we need to achieve this?

- I will tell you another example. After another training workshop, one woman firmly decided to revive the family tradition of carpet weaving. She took out an old loom from the closet and started looking for wool. The neighbor across the street held goats and rams; the woman started buying wool from the neighbor. Then one of the neighbors started bringing her colors, someone opened a shop for her, the neighbor's boy was asked to show the goods on social networks, the local taxi driver was asked to take the goods to customers and take the money. Other women began to come to her to learn how to weave carpets. Then a "chaykhana" (editor's note: teahouse) was opened next door with an exhibition hall where her works were displayed.  Practically the whole village started earning money from the activities of one woman who decided to do carpet weaving for herself.

In this story, I expedited the events because, of course, all this took many years, but the result was the same. I think, this model can work for our other regions as well. There is still a question about the market.

- In your opinion, what is the main problem of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage?

- The main problem is related to the arrival of something new, technological and convenient. Something is getting outdated, something needs to be renewed. It is an eternal struggle between conservatives and innovators, and an eternal search for middle ground.

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Background: In July 2019, the UNESCO Tashkent Office, the Governor’s Office of Kashkadarya Region and the Municipality of Karshi City, the Association of Folk Masters, Craftspeople and Painters of the Republic of Uzbekistan "Khunarmand" and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan organized the events to safeguard and develop traditional crafts of the Kashkadarya region.

Leading scientists, researchers of traditional crafts and craftspeople of Uzbekistan held the round table and exhibition, conducted trainings to safeguard and promote intangible cultural heritage of Kashkadarya region and to support local craftspeople in developing traditional crafts of the region.