TASHKENT, July 31. /Dunyo IA/. Uzbekistan has launched the national tourism souvenir competition “Uzbek Gift Contest”, aimed at combining the country’s rich traditions of craftsmanship with modern requirements of the tourism industry, reports Dunyo IA correspondent

Competition has been organised by the Tourism Committee in cooperation with “Hunarmand” Association and Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan. Its main objective is to transform the country’s traditional handicrafts into modern, attractive souvenirs that showcase Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage to visitors from around the world.

The first stage of the competition, running from July 24^th to August 16^th, is being held among designers. Participants are presenting sketches and concepts for tourism souvenirs across 25 areas of traditional national craftsmanship.

The second stage will take place from August 20^th to September 20^th among artisans. During this phase, finished products will be created based on the winning designs selected in the first stage. The evaluation criteria will include product quality, national identity, compactness and affordability.

Winners will be selected following each stage of the competition. Each participant who secures a prize-winning place will receive a cash award of 5 million Uzbek soums.