One of the winners of 1st grant contest of the Council on State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations under the Auspices of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2016 is MIRAS Social Organization in Support of Studying of Cultural Heritage and its project “The Role of Women in Rural Lifestyle Development”. The manager of the project is PhD, Fariz Khalilli. The purpose is improvement of social welfare of grown-ups, lonely and poor people, particularly women living in Azerbaijan and provision of their productive leisure. The way passed by women in the rural lifestyle development in Gagali, Bijo and Gashad Villages of Agsu region, with different ages and social status; implementation of traditional economic areas, especially, local craftsmanship, generalization of the outcomes, preparation of proposals and recommendations, promotion of practice work, bringing novelties to the villages and other issues will be paid attention. The project is directed to teaching specification of local rugs and carpets weaving in Gagali, Bijo and Gashad villages of Agsu, and cheshnis belonging to Shirvan carpet school, the development of ownership and tourism potential in the region. For this purpose, relevant multidisciplinary trainings must be arranged. The basic purpose of the project arranging fair of products in the future is to grow interest in people over this domain and morally and financially stimulating. Social essence of the project is prevention of early marriage, serious problem in the regions; involvement of generation to education; binding to roots rather much; creation of agricultural-farmer economy, and increasing social activity, promotion of infrastructures in the regions, thus the work of implementation of obligations instituted from state programs and improvement of financial states. Tourism potential and the tourists grew number in Agsu region where historical tourism is developed as a consequence of special attention and work done by MIRAS Organization lately. This increases belief in the project realization and positive impact and effectiveness in the future. To achieve this goal, the project has the following objectives:
- Exploring the attitudes of women to the development of rural life style;
- Studying potential and prospects of cultural and social life of the village;
- Surveys;
- Analysis of the surveys, expert evaluations, working up proposals and recommendations;
- Generalization of studies and elaboration of relevant proposals and recommendation;
- Teaching women the methods of weaving traditional and modern carpets, rugs; arrangement of courses, trainings; practical work;
- The arrangement of trainings on modern experience, legislative base, and cultivation of dying plants, wool procession, yarn production;
- Each participant is passed exam and given certificate in the end, and student in the first three places for the scores granted diplomas;
- The arrangement of photo-exhibition and hand work fair; presentation of advanced practice and pilot institutions model;
- Establishment of “rural lifestyle” section in Internet page agsunews.az;
- Publication of “The role of women in the development of rural lifestyle” book;
- Holding press conference on the project outcomes.