The section for Arts, Crafts and Design of the UNESCO is organising an International Symposium/workshop on Natural Dyes for March 2006 in Hyderabad, India.

This Symposium will bring together about 350 master craftspersons, researchers and specialists in natural dyes and crafts promoters from the five continents.

The aim of the Symposium is to attain outcomes based on the diversity of experiences and respectful of the variety of natural, social and cultural environment of the concerned craftspeople.

The broad objectives are: to share experiences and ideas on the key problems and major prospects facing natural-dyed products in the international market; to promote joint efforts and technical cooperation programmes among craftspeople, researchers and promoters in all stages of the dyeing process.

The Symposium will have specific objectives: to establish a database on existing natural plant dyes and traditional production processes; to stimulate research in new biological sources and technical possibilities in contemporary textile production and other related crafts sectors; to envisage the setting-up of a specific label for the recognition of environmentally friendly textiles.

The overall coordination of the Symposium is entrusted to ETN member Dr. Dominique Cardon/France, an internationally renowned specialist in natural dyes. Dominique Cardon asked for cooperation from ETN members and all those who are interested in the subject forthe following domains of research:
1. Bibliographical research: Books and articles concerning the use of natural dyes in each
region of the world according to prepared categories (available from Dominique Cardon); brief comments on whether these resources are accessible, up-to-date, relevant and reliable will be useful.

2. Inventory of recent and current projects and experiences: This inventory should be as exhaustive as possible and improve awareness of the actual situation of the use of natural dyes in all countries in the different regions of the world. If they have been abandoned completely or if they are not used at all, this information is also useful.

Projects and experience will also be classified after categories (available from D. Cardon). Subsummarized in this inventory are:
- "Living treasures", individuals or communities using dyeing techniques
- Associations/NGO´s promoting the conservation or reintroduction of the use of natural dyes
- Artists/designers using natural dyes
- Scientific researchers working with natural dyes
- Individual farmers/cooperatives producing natural dyes
- Companies converting/marketing/using natural dyes
- Dyers/associations/NGO´s/ Companies basing all or parts of their publicity on natural dyes

This inventory will be the subject of brief reports and proposals concerning the choice of:

a) themes for the talks and workshops organized during the Symposium,

b) speakers at the Symposium and workshop coordinators.

Already in March 2005 the agenda and workshop programmes were prepared.