"Now, the local Cooperative, Industry and Trade Office Head and Mufidah are in a meeting to set the exact date to open the center, originally scheduled to be inaugurated on May 8," Head of Public Relations of Tanah Datar district Syahril said on Thursday.
The weaving center has been built on an area of 11,710 square meters and equipped with flats and 35 rooms.
In the weaving center, the community of weaving enthusiasts will be trained such as for yarn dyeing, songket lace making, weaving, embroidery, batik making, making of various souvenirs, and business management.
"We hope the center will generate new woven craftsmen not only in Tanah Datar district but also in all areas of West Sumatra province," he stated.
Head of Cooperative, Industry and Mining Office of Tanah Datar district Abdul Hakim said that currently there is a production building with 35 looms that can be utilized for training.
In the long term, the weaving center will be the school under the management of a foundation that will be established by the local government.
In the upcoming inauguration of the weaving center, Mufidah will also witness the signing of memorandum of understanding between the weaving industrial center and State Vocational High Scool 1 of Lintau which already has a textile facility.
The school will become a model for state vocational high schools in West Sumatera province to carry out practice of weaving.
Meanwhile, Tanah Datar district Head Irdinansyah Tarmizi said the craft training center has been a blessing for the region because it can help improve the economy of the local community and create new business opportunities.
The local government also provided grants and 5.5 hectares of land for the school construction.
Chairman of National Craft Council of Tanah Datar district Emi Irdinansyah said the weaving center will be used optimally to make songket become the local flagship commodity.
"We have also sent local children to be trained in Jakarta, and they will become instructors in the weaving center," she said. *
Reporter: Martha Herlinawati S
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
