← FORUM
INTERNATIONAL CARPET FORUM 2026
International Carpet Forum
International Carpet Forum 2026 brings together carpet experts, collectors, and enthusiasts from around the world.
MAIN THEMES
10:00 – 10:15
OFFICIAL OPENING
Emin Mammadov
Chairman of the Board of Azerkhalcha OJSC | Honored Art Worker of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Rufat Mahmud
Chairman of the Board of Administration of State Historical-Architectural Reserve Icherisheher
Yusif Abdullayev
Executive Director of the Export and Investment Promotion Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan – AZPROMO
Saadat Yusifova
Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Nigar Ismayilzada
Art and Marketing Coordinator of the International Carpet Festival
Introduction to the Forum and Festival
SESSION 1 — DESIGN, COLLECTIONS AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Moderator: Olga Latysheva
10:15 – 10:30
Laurine Malengreau Belgium
Contemporary textile artist
How to transform craftsmanship into an artwork for the international art market
10:30 – 10:45
Prof. Dr. Maria Del Carmen Avendano Rito Mexico
Researcher in conservation sciences; Member of Mexico's National System of Researchers (SNI)
Textile traditions, identity, and relevance in a global contemporary context
10:45 – 11:00
Tarik Sadik Morocco
CEO of La Maison de l'Artisan
Supporting artisans and creating value: institutional models for the development of the carpet industry
11:00 – 11:15
Nasir Al Darmaki UAE
Vice-President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM)
Museums as catalysts in shaping a global carpet brand
11:15 – 11:30
Luca Emilio Brancati Italy
Certified expert & appraiser of carpets and tapestries; Tapetologist
Value creation in the carpet industry: branding, storytelling, and global markets
11:30 – 11:50
Coffee Break
SESSION 2 — PRODUCTION, SUSTAINABILITY AND GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
Moderator: Asmar Babayeva
11:50 – 12:05
Fahri Solak Tükiye
Sultanhanı, Aksaray bələdiyyə başçısı və Sultansaray Halı şirkətinin sahibi
From Heritage to Market: Commercial Strategies in Handmade Carpets
12:05 – 12:20
Jeyhun Alibayov Azerbaijan
Deputy Chairman of f the Board of Directors of Azerkhalcha OJSC
Azerkhalcha's national production model: scaling handmade carpet production
12:20 – 12:35
Dinara Asanbayeva Kyrgyzstan
Executive Director of Kyrgyz Handmade
Community-based production and international cooperation (Presentation in Russian)
12:35 – 12:50
Ramesh Prasad Dawadi Nepal
President of ICOM Nepal
Knots of prosperity: handmade carpet weaving in Nepal and its economic impact
12:50 – 13:05
Geordie Greig United Kingdom
Editor-in-Chief of The Independent
Global media and the promotion of national cultural heritage
13:05 – 13:20
Maryam Gafurova Kazakhstan
Founder of Tumar Carpets gallery
How meaning, status, and cultural value are built around carpets
13:20 – 13:35
Dr. Sumiyo Okumura Japan
Founder of SOAC Art Consultancy & Curation
Carpets in an intercultural context: positioning textile art in the global market
13:35 – 13:45
Closing Ceremony
13:45 – 15:00
Lunch