Offering air tickets to the 12 handicraft artistes, President Mahinda Rajapakshe said he would give all help for the preservation of traditional handicrafts sector and the uplift of crafts people.

A programme to provide local handicraft artistes experience abroad of modern creative and marketing trends has been launched by the National Crafts Council (NCC).

As an initial step in that direction, 12 handicraft artistes who won Presidential Gold and Silver awards at the 2006 National Handicrafts Exhibition will be conducted on a week’s study tour in India from October 15 to 22.

A spokesman for the NCC said the tour will provide these artistes with an opportunity to learn new design identification and application and latest technology and assimilate them for the development of their own crafts.

The Indian High Commission facilitated the tour and the India - Sri Lanka Foundation will sponsor it by bearing all expenses incurred in India. The cost of return air tickets to New Delhi will be borne by the Bank of Ceylon.

The artistes on tour include Presidential Gold Award winner D. Weerasinghe and Silver Award winners H. A. Dissanayake, M. Vasantha Jayasekara, K.P. Ariyawansa, W. Sunil Jayasekara, W. Sunil Jayaratne, S. Lionel Chandrasiri, U. H. Premasiri, Inoka Saumyamali Basnayake, H. A. Kokila Madhubhashini, A.V. Dharmadasa, K. H. Pasindu Nimantha and K. H. Austin Pieris.

They will be accompanied by NCC Provincial Assistant Director W.A.N. Seneviratne and S. D. R. K. Samarasinghe and tour co-ordinating officer Dhammasena Mapitigama.