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Turquoise Mountain

Turquoise Mountain is a nonprofit focused on regenerating urban areas and furthering the renaissance of the traditional craft industry in different parts of Asia.

Founded in 2006 by the Prince of Wales, Turquoise Mountain revives historic areas and traditional crafts to provide jobs, skills, and a renewed sense of pride within communities. The organization has restored over 150 historic buildings, trained over 15,000 artisans, developed over 50 small businesses in the Middle East, treated over 165,000 patients at their Kabul clinic, and supported and generated over $17 million in sales of traditional crafts to international clients (including Kate Spade and London’s Connaught Hotel). Turquoise Mountain has also curated major exhibitions at museums around the world, from the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. 

Since its founding, Turquoise Mountain has worked in Afghanistan and continues to support thousands of families in Kabul, Bamiyan, and the northern region by providing support, education, and family health services. They also generate livelihood opportunities through craft production and the preservation of built heritage.

In Myanmar, Turquoise Mountain has trained hundreds of artisans across crafts to enhance the quality of work. In 2016, the nonprofit completed the restoration (the first to meet international standards) of a street in Yangon’s Historic Downtown, educating 250 people in building and conservation in the process. In 2019, they reimagined the landmark Tourist Burma building, training over 500 builders and engineers while reinstating the building as fit for public use. 

In Saudi Arabia, Turquoise Mountain is giving hundreds of artisans access to new commercial opportunities that preserve craft traditions. They aim to build a sustainable crafts sector that reflects quality and authentic design to appeal to clients across the Middle East and beyond. The nonprofit also holds workshops on entrepreneurship, branding, production, and more to help artisans develop their work.

In Jordan, Turquoise Mountain works on heritage-led regeneration projects that support local communities and the wider population through employment and training in historic building restorations. In doing so, Turquoise Mountain supports the economy, helps communities in the long term, and maintains the significance of the region’s history.