The National Carpet Fair will be held for the first time in Moldova on December 13. Over 350 carpets will be on display at Moldexpo, with the oldest ones dating from the middle of the 18th century, IPN reports.

Culture Minister Monica Babuc told a news conference on Monday the carpets to be exhibited have an incontestable value and they must be preserved and showcased.

The fair will have several compartments. The “Traditional Carpet” will exhibit carpets from the collection of the National Ethnography Museum. The “Historical Carpet” will showcase items that belonged to historical figures and the “Contemporary Carpet” will display works of graduates from the Academy of Plastic Arts and from the Pedagogical University Ion Creanga. A fourth compartment will be called “The Friend Carpet”, which at the first Fair will feature Azeri carpets.

Minister Babuc encouraged people to participate in the Fair by bringing family carpets to be presented within the “Sentimental Carpet” compartment.

Varvara Buzila, of the National Ethnography Museum, said the Fair will exhibit over 200 items belonging to museums from all over the country. 150 other will be presented by private owners.

The second Traditional Winter Garment Gala will be part of the Carpet Fair.