Here is a summary with information nuggets you can use for your posters and pamphlets on how marine life is impacted by ocean acidification, with a focus beyond coral bleaching and specific mention of cephalopods and other marine life:

---

**Ocean Acidification & Marine Life: Key Facts**

- **What is ocean acidification?

**
  It's when the ocean absorbs excess carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere.

This changes seawater chemistry, making it more acidic (“lower pH”).

Acidic waters harm marine organisms, especially those that rely on stable chemicals and minerals in seawater.

- **Shell-forming animals are at risk:**
  Bivalves like clams and oysters, as well as other shellfish and some tiny plankton, need calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons.

Acidic conditions make it harder for them to grow, leading to thinner, weaker shells and lower survival rates.

- **Cephalopods (like cuttlefish & octopus) and acidification:**
  While cephalopods don’t have external shells, studies suggest acidification may affect their growth, behavior, metabolism, and even how well they can camouflage or hunt.

Young cephalopods are especially sensitive to changes in pH.

- **Dead zones are increasing:**
  Areas of the ocean with little oxygen (“dead zones”) have nearly doubled worldwide since 2008, partly due to ocean chemistry changes and pollution.

These zones are deadly to most marine life, including important food sources.

- **Impact on marine mammals:**
  As food webs are disrupted—pushed by harm to shellfish, plankton, and fish—marine mammals (like whales, dolphins, and seals) may struggle to find enough food.

Changes in fish populations and habitats affect their migration and survival.

- **Kelp forests offer hope:**
  Research shows that growing kelp or seaweed alongside shellfish farms can help absorb excess CO₂, locally reducing acidification and protecting animals like oysters and clams.

- **Why does it matter?

Here is a summary with information nuggets you can use for your posters and pamphlets on how marine life is impacted by ocean acidification, with a focus beyond coral bleaching and specific mention of cephalopods and other marine life:

---

**Ocean Acidification & Marine Life: Key Facts**

- **What is ocean acidification?

Title:

Content: These projects are out of science fiction.

Climate Boogaloo

We are at the throw-the-kitchen-sink stage of our climate change crisis as researchers, backed by big money, are increasingly researching drastic, large-scale geoengineering methods that were once considered taboo because they involve tinkering with natural processes and their consequences are largely unknown, The Wall Street Journal reports.

One project that is kicking off this summer tackles the problem of oceanic acidity. The more carbon dioxide our seas absorb, the more acidic our ocean becomes, which is really bad for marine life.

In response, a $10 million project at Massachusetts' Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) involves researchers basically dumping thousands of gallons of an alkaline liquid solution — sodium hydroxide — into the sea near Martha’s Vineyard.

"When you have heartburn, you eat a Tums that dissolves and makes the liquid in your stomach less acidic," WHOI associate scientist and project leader Adam Subhas told the WSJ. "By analogy, we’re adding this alkaline material to seawater, and it is letting the ocean take up more CO2 without provoking more ocean acidification. Everything that we’re seeing so far is that it is environmentally safe."

End of the Line

Another project, which has raised $15 million, is in Israel and involves shooting tiny particles into the atmosphere so they could reflect solar radiation, the newspaper reports. Stardust Solutions, the startup behind this project, plans to perform outdoor tests of this process sometime this year.

A third project in Australia is also meant to deflect solar radiation — this time in the Great Barrier Reef area, and by shooting ocean water into the air to brighten cloud cover and hence increase shade.

Scientists and decision makers in public and private sectors are seriously contemplating these geoegineering projects because current methods to arrest climate change and global warming haven't worked.

With forest fires wreaking havoc everywhere from California to Europe, and our planet experiencing its hottest year ever last year, the writing is clearly on the wall.

In fact, the pace has accelerated, according to scientists interviewed by The Washington Post in December.

"There won’t be any argument [by] late next spring, we’ll be way off the trend line," Columbia University climate scientists James E. Hansen told WaPo.

And that's why these projects are attracting big dollars and serious attention, despite serious questions about how they might impact the environment.

More on climate change: Scientists Say the Atlantic Current Appears to Be on the Verge of Collapse

Share This Article

What factors lead to damage of coral reefs?

What is the main cause of ocean acidification?

water absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

Which marine organism is vulnerable to increased levels of ocean acidification?

**
  It's when the ocean absorbs excess carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere.

What factors lead to damage of coral reefs?

What is the main cause of ocean acidification?

water absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

This changes seawater chemistry, making it more acidic (“lower pH”).

What factors lead to damage of coral reefs?

Acidic waters harm marine organisms, especially those that rely on stable chemicals and minerals in seawater.

How do scientists expect ocean acidification to impact specific fish species?

it will affect their physiology and growth

How does coastal ocean acidification affect shellfish?

How does elevated water acidity affect fish ability to survive?

What factors lead to damage of coral reefs?

- **Shell-forming animals are at risk:**
  Bivalves like clams and oysters, as well as other shellfish and some tiny plankton, need calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons.

Title:

Content: Newswise — STONY BROOK, NY, May 25, 2022 – While kelp is known as a nutritious food item for sea creatures and humans alike, harvesting kelp may be a new way to help keep bivalves such as clams and oysters – a more common food source and marine industry staple – healthy and more abundant. A new study led by Christopher Gobler, PhD, and a team of scientists at the Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) shows that the presence of kelp significantly reduces ocean acidification, a result of climate change.

Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, the study also demonstrated that the deployment of kelp on an oyster farm nullifies ocean acidification and therefore protects bivalves against acidification. The process may also have additional ecosystem and aquaculture benefits, including the sequestration and extraction of carbon and nitrogen, and protection against harmful algae blooms.

For shellfish, one of the most serious climate change-related threats is ocean acidification. Carbon dioxide or CO2 levels in Earth’s atmosphere continue to rise, infiltrating oceans where it causes chemical reactions that lower pH and cause ocean acidification. For the past two decades, one of the most robust conclusions of ocean climate change research has been that increasing levels of CO2 in surface waters threaten shellfish that rely on higher pH waters to grow and survive. This threat is particularly acute in coastal zones where additional sources of acidity can further reduce pH and slow shell formation in shellfish, especially bivalves. And while many wild populations of bivalves have collapsed, a burgeoning wave of aquaculture in the U.S. and around the World has caused the global production of seafood via aquaculture to grow and now exceed wild capture.

“Despite this wave of aquaculture, the intensification of ocean acidification now threatens bivalve aquaculture and has necessitated a solution,” explains Professor Gobler, the Endowed Chair of Coastal Ecology and Conservation at SoMAS.  “We believe our work is foundational to a solution.”

In the study, titled “Kelp (Saccharina latissima) Mitigates Coastal Ocean Acidification and Increases the Growth of North Atlantic Bivalves in Lab Experiments and on an Oyster Farm,” Professor Gobler and colleagues conducted six experiments to assess the effects of elevated CO2 and presence of kelp (S. latissima) on the growth rates of three different species of bivalves: (Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), and hard clams / Northern quahogs (Mercenaria mercenaria).

In each of the experiments, acidification was significantly reduced with the cultivation of kelp. They furthered the research with the ultimate test – a field experiment at the Great Gun oyster farm in Moriches Bay, New York.

They found that during a one-month deployment, oysters that were surrounded by kelp enjoyed higher pH water and grew significantly faster than individual shellfish located further away where the pH of the water was significantly lower.

Professor Gobler and colleagues emphasize that these findings have powerful implications for oyster farming in coastal zones.

“We have been witnessing coastal ocean acidification for years and have documented its ability to slow the growth, and even kill off, shellfish. We began growing kelp on oyster farms to simply expand aquaculture, regionally. After seeing its ability to rapidly take up CO2 and improve low pH conditions, we knew it had the potential to benefit shellfish experiencing acidification. And while showing that in the lab was exciting, being able to improve the growth of oysters on an oyster farm experiencing coastal acidification proves this approach can have very broad applications,” explains Professor Gobler.

Overall, the research clearly shows, according to the authors, that “the cultivation of kelp constitutes an environmentally friendly means of protecting shellfisheries against present and future ocean acidification and other coastal stressors.”

Building on the work, helping the oyster farms

“We’ve helped grow kelp on 10 oyster farms across New York since 2018 and more and more aquaculturists have been hoping to incorporate kelp into their farms,” says Mike Doall, Associate Director of Shellfish Restoration and Aquaculture at Stony Brook University. “In addition to providing crop diversification and additive revenue streams, the ability of kelp to fight ocean acidification gives these oyster farmers one more reason to add kelp as a second crop.”

The recent study builds on other research by the same SoMAS group, which published a study in Harmful Algae in 2021. That study demonstrated that kelp has the ability to deter the intensity of harmful algal blooms, another environmental threat to shellfish aquaculture.

Such scenarios with kelp appear to create a win-win scenario for oyster farmers like Paul McCormick, owner of the Great Gun oyster farm where the current study was performed.

“Kelp looks to be the perfect complement to oysters on my farm,” says McCormick. “It grows during winter and spring, when the oysters need less attention, and there is lots of interest in kelp from restaurants. If it is offering protection to my oysters against poor water quality, well that’s another good reason to add it to my farm.”

Citations:

Young, C. S., Sylvers, L. H., Tomasetti, S. J., Lundstrom, A., Schenone, C., Doall, M. H., & Gobler, C. J. (2022) Kelp (Saccharina latissima) mitigates ocean acidification and increases the growth of North Atlantic bivalves in lab experiments and on an oyster farm. Frontiers in Marine Science, Volume 9 | Article 881254

Sylvers, P. H., & Gobler, C. J. (2021). Mitigation of harmful algal blooms caused by Alexandrium catenella and reduction in saxitoxin accumulation in bivalves using cultivable seaweeds. Harmful Algae, 105, 102056.

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CITATIONS

Frontiers in Marine Science

What do shellfish use to build their shells?

Acidic conditions make it harder for them to grow, leading to thinner, weaker shells and lower survival rates.

How do scientists expect ocean acidification to impact specific fish species?

it will affect their physiology and growth

How does coastal ocean acidification affect shellfish?

it can kill shellfish
it slows their growth

What factors lead to damage of coral reefs?

- **Cephalopods (like cuttlefish & octopus) and acidification:**
  While cephalopods don’t have external shells, studies suggest acidification may affect their growth, behavior, metabolism, and even how well they can camouflage or hunt.

How do scientists expect ocean acidification to impact specific fish species?

it will affect their physiology and growth

Which marine organism is vulnerable to increased levels of ocean acidification?

Young cephalopods are especially sensitive to changes in pH.

At what stage of life are calcium carbonate-based organisms most vulnerable to changes in water pH?

Which marine organism is vulnerable to increased levels of ocean acidification?

- **Dead zones are increasing:**
  Areas of the ocean with little oxygen (“dead zones”) have nearly doubled worldwide since 2008, partly due to ocean chemistry changes and pollution.

Title:

Content: - WSL / Brent Bielmann

The ocean critically influences our atmosphere, and a changing climate has consequences for our coasts and way of life. With this in mind, WSL pledged to become carbon neutral in 2019 by offsetting staff and athlete travel, events, and business operations, and also offset the 2018 calendar year, prior to making the commitment in 2019.

The WSL is offsetting its carbon footprint by investing in and supporting projects such as VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) and REDD+ (reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) certified carbon offset projects that have a focus on restoring and protecting natural ecosystems as well as supporting renewable energy development in each of the WSL's regions.

From 2018 to 2019 the WSL moved to 100% nature based solutions, adding the McCloud River andJari Pará Project to their portfolio and continued this approach in 2020. Nature-based solutions, or natural climate solutions, are projects that restore, protect or transform land. In this way, nature absorbs more CO2 emissions from the atmosphere.

In addition, from 2018 to 2019 the WSL identified that staff flights were the largest source of emissions in 2018 accounting for 53.1% of all emissions. With this in mind, a concerted effort was made to reduce staff travel while still providing the best event experience possible for athletes and fans and reduced staff travel emissions to 45.8% of all emissions (reducing the largest emissions source by 7.3% YOY).

Since 2018, WSL has measured, reduced and offset emissions from WSL Championship Tour, Big Wave Tour and WSL Operations. In total, from 2018 through 2022, WSL has offset 22,003 tonnes of CO2 emissions (mtCO2e) with an average of 4,401 tonnes of CO2 emissions (mtCO2e) per year, including 100% nature-based solutions, which is equivalent to planting and growing 363,821 trees for 10 years (EPA). In 2021, WSL deepened its investment in this space by also offsetting operations at WSL Surf Ranch, in Lemoore, Calif., a world-class facility that features the longest, rippable, open barrel human-made wave.

We all depend on healthy oceans to survive. - WSL / Kody McGregor

WSL offset projects from 2018-2023 have included:

In Australia: The Mount Sandy Conservation forest project ensures permanent protection for a regionally and culturally important pocket of biodiversity-rich land in partnership with its Traditional Owners. Local birds, animals and plants flourish undisturbed, while native plants for revegetation will be supplied by the local nursery at Raukkan Aboriginal Community, a self-governed Indigenous community 50 kilometers northwest of the project site.

In Asia Pacific: The Katingan Mentaya project in Borneo is a REDD+ peat swamp forest that fights deforestation from mining and palm oil plantations. VCS and Triple Gold Certified project recognized for its positive social impacts (34 communities; 45k people) and biodiversity (5 Critically Endangered, 8 Endangered, and 31 Vulnerable species).

In Africa: The Mikoko Pamoja mangrove reforestation project in Gazi Bay, Kenya is run by two rural communities who have protected 117 hectares of mangroves, provided clean water for 3,500 people, restored local school buildings, sponsored football clubs, and supplied educational materials for 700 school children.

In South America:

  • The Vida Manglar is the world's first blue carbon project to enter the market with its carbon stores fully valued - that is, with the carbon stored in both the trees and the soils, fully accounted for. The project is based in Colombia and will reduce approximately one million tons of carbon dioxide emissions over 30 years by conserving and sustainably managing coastal mangrove ecosystems, marshes, and associated streams. Conservation International and regional partners - INVEMAR Research Institute and CVS (Coporación autónoma regional del Valle del Sinú) are using the carbon value generated through the conservation and restoration of mangroves to contribute to a long-term sustainable financing strategy for the region.
  • The AgroCortex project is a REDD+ forest conservation project in the Amazon rainforest. Over the next 30 years, this project will help reduce over 14 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. Additionally, this project will help protect the Amazon's rich biodiversity and lies inside a worldwide birdlife endemic area. Fauna surveys conducted indicated the presence of 345 species of birds.
  • The Jari Pará Project is a forest conservation project. It reduces potential greenhouse gas emissions by protecting a large swath of forest (almost twice the size of Luxembourg) that otherwise would have been destroyed. It is a REDD+ project that is at the front lines of deforestation in the Amazon today trying to stop clear-cutting practices that are causing the loss of so much rainforest today.
  • The Santa Vitoria do Palmar and Chui wind farm in Brazil (a United Nations Clean Development Mechanism Certified Emission Reduction project) which powers 400,000 homes. Also,the ceramic factories of Argibem, São Sebastião, and Vulcão which run on renewable biomass instead of native timber from endangered and unique Brazilian ecosystems, and also has positive social impacts in the community schools.

In North America:

  • Almost 24,000 acres of protected Redwood forest protected from traditional logging to store carbon and safeguard endangered wildlife (Coho Salmon and Northern Spotted Owl) in the coastal watersheds of the Garcia River Forests in Mendocino County.
  • The McCloud River project is an Improved Forest Management project. It generates emissions reductions through sustainable practices of commercial timberlands about 20 miles southeast of Mount Shasta in Northern California. Commercial harvesting does occur on the project, but by using sustainable practices the landowners have preserved more forest and actually increase the amount of carbon stored by the property over time.

In addition to the projects above, WSL has also supported the One Carbon World projects detailed below aligned to 2022 and 2023 emissions such as reforestation initiatives that enhanced soil quality and erosion in Uruguay and projects focused on mitigating climate change through innovative technologies and sustainable practices in India.

  • In South America, the Lumin/Eucapine/La Pitanga Project is a VERRA, Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) project, which is a 100-year project that will sequester up to 5.601.938 tonnes of CO2e. The main objectives of the project activity are to convert degraded grassland into beneficial forest plantations, enhancing soil quality and preventing erosion, conservation of natural resources, land restoration and carbon sequestration through afforestation. All practices follow FSC® forest management standard for responsible forest management, while enhancing biodiversity conservation by increasing the connectivity of forests and different ecosystems, generating income and job opportunities for local communities in rural areas of the centre-east region of Uruguay.
  • A United Nations GHG Emission Reductions by thermal oxidation of HFC 23 Project: This project innovation is a result of an international technical collaboration between the UK, Switzerland, Netherlands, Italy, Japan, and India. In collaboration with industries and communities, this project strives to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This project has developed and built facilities that now capture HFC gases into substances with no or lower global warming potential, reducing the impact that such gases would have on our climate if they were released. This vital initiative is dedicated to preserving the ozone layer and mitigating climate change through innovative technologies and sustainable practices. By promoting cleaner production methods, energy efficiency, and renewable energy adoption, the project minimizes GHG emissions, contributing to global efforts in addressing climate change. This project will sequester 3,000,000 metric tonnes CO2 equivalent per annum.
  • This United Nations N2O Emission Reduction Project based in India, aims to protect the environment by significantly reducing N2O emissions and also aims to reduce pollution to our waterways. This project supports the installation of a secondary catalyst in the ammonia reactors of one of the two nitric acid production units of the fertilizer plant of Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers ("RCF"). N2O is a potent greenhouse gas with very high global-warming potential. The project activity helps in the catalytic reduction of N2O which is an undesirable by-product of the nitric acid production process and so emission reductions of it. This project will sequester 901,968 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent per annum.

In compliance with California Assembly Bill 1305 (2023), click here for more information on the WSL's supported carbon projects.

All coastline communities and ecosystems are impacted by the health of our ocean. - WSL / Jesse Jennings

The WSL also works to reduce its carbon footprint by regionalizing its operation, limiting non-essential travel and implementing policies to reduce carbon emissions at its offices. In 2022, WSL Announced the Global Impacts below:

  • Reduced emissions by 49% from the 2018 baseline year.
  • Reduced waste by 70% from the 2018 baseline year.
  • Collected 100 tons of plastic from Indonesia's rivers, and
  • Conserved 347,291 hectares of land, including long term protection for incredible waves and surf ecosystems at Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica and Grajagan Bay, Java, Indonesia.

From 2018 through 2022 the WSL carbon offset program was calculated and curated in partnership with STOKE (Sustainable Tourism & Outdoors Kit for Evaluation), a certification organization with standards built specifically for surf and mountain tourism operators, destinations, and affiliated events. Starting in 2023, WSL will be partnering with One Carbon World for their carbon offset program.

Some facts that propelled the WSL pledge to become carbon neutral by the end of 2019:

  • Because of increased global temperatures, the ocean has absorbed more than 90 percent of the excess heat in the atmosphere, which causes more frequent and intense storms and dangerously rising sea levels. (Laffoley, D., & Baxter, J. (2016). Explaining ocean warming: Causes, scale, effects and consequences.)
  • Sea level is expected to rise by 2-3 feet by the end of this century, and over 6 feet is plausible. Sea level has already risen 10 inches since 1900 due to warming oceans and melting ice. (IPCC, 2013: Summary for Policymakers.)
  • Sea level rise will threaten over 150 million people by the end of this century. (Kopp et al., 2017, Earth's Future)

Check out WSL's 2023 Annual Purpose and Impact Report to learn more about our impact in and out of the water.

The ocean is the largest ecosystem on Earth and supports life on our planet. - WSL / WSL/Matt Dunbar

Oceans make up over 70% of the earth's surface and are responsible for: regulating our global climate, providing us with food we depend on for survival, and cleaning the air we breathe. Our one ocean is also the world's largest storehouse for carbon with more than 80% of the carbon cycle circulating through the waves we ride.

With carbon emissions continuing to rise, our oceans are taking on more energy and heat, which results in rising sea levels and temperatures. This continual absorption of CO2 also leads to increased acidity, which combined with warming temperatures, is changing the basic composition of our ocean leading to the destruction of coral reefs. Our reefs not only provide us with some of the breaks we cherish most, but are entire ecosystems to many species that rely on them for food and protection. In addition, they serve as the primary source of protein for most coastal communities.

While business and governments play a large part in improving the health of our climate, individual actions are instrumental in creating global change. Take individual action today through the suggestions below and help build a healthy global climate by:

Transportation:

  • Biking/skating more, driving less (why: reducing your carbon footprint and use of fossil fuels makes a big difference for our planet)
  • Carpooling
  • Taking public transit

Food:

  • Eating local (why: because locally produced food has a much lower carbon footprint than items that are shipped across the planet)
  • Eating organic (why: because organic is healthier for our soil, our planet, and thus, our ocean)
  • Embracing a plant-rich diet (why: producing certain meat has a high environmental footprint in terms of carbon production and water and land use.)
  • Eating less dairy
  • Buying food in bulk
  • Composting food waste

Energy:

  • Supporting clean energy sources - such as wind, solar, or geothermal.
  • Switching to energy efficient light bulbs and LED lights
  • Turning off electronics when not in use to save energy
  • Getting a home energy audit

Community:

  • Vote! (why: because voting for policy leaders who supporting strong climate policy helps to effect change)
  • Working to spread awareness on the climate crisis
  • Supporting sustainable companies and brands who are actively reducing their carbon emissions

and...

support our WSL One Ocean coalition partners and WSL PURE Grantees who are committed to finding solutions to reduce our climate impact!

World Surf League
Download it for free on the App store. Download it for free on Google Play.

These zones are deadly to most marine life, including important food sources.

How do scientists expect ocean acidification to impact specific fish species?

How does coastal ocean acidification affect shellfish?

How does elevated water acidity affect fish ability to survive?

- **Impact on marine mammals:**
  As food webs are disrupted—pushed by harm to shellfish, plankton, and fish—marine mammals (like whales, dolphins, and seals) may struggle to find enough food.

Which marine organism is vulnerable to increased levels of ocean acidification?

Changes in fish populations and habitats affect their migration and survival.

How do scientists expect ocean acidification to impact specific fish species?

it will affect their survival
it will alter their key behaviors

- **Kelp forests offer hope:**
  Research shows that growing kelp or seaweed alongside shellfish farms can help absorb excess CO₂, locally reducing acidification and protecting animals like oysters and clams.

- **Why does it matter?

Title:

Content:   • Home

Redditor shows how they ‘de-trashed’ their neighborhood in less than half an hour: ‘This took almost no effort’

“There’s so much of it everywhere.”

Photo Credit: u/Bootycarl / Reddit

One small action can have a big impact on the planet, as proven by one Redditor’s mission to “de-trash” their local area.

In a photo posted to the r/ZeroWaste subreddit, the user holds up a packed trash bag, which they filled by picking up litter in their neighborhood.

As the post explains, it took 25 minutes to fill the bag within a one-minute walk from the OP’s home.

“There’s so much of it everywhere!” the Redditor adds in a comment. “This took almost no effort.”

More than 90% of Americans think litter is a problem in their state, according to research by Keep America Beautiful. The study found on average 2,000 pieces of litter per mile in the U.S., totaling nearly 50 billion trash items along roadways and waterways.

Litter can have devastating consequences both for people’s health and wildlife. As the trash breaks down, it releases toxic chemicals into the atmosphere — for example, cigarette butts emit arsenic when they decompose.

In coastal areas, litter may also get blown into the ocean. Once in the water, plastic items break down into microplastics, forming pellet-sized nurdles that marine animals eat. The absorption of these microplastics into the water is thought to increase the ocean’s acidity, which contributes to coral reef bleaching.

Picking up litter helps to remove some of that harmful trash from the environment, although some have questioned how much difference it can make against a mountain of trash. In an interview with Postive News, David Katz, the founder and CEO of The Plastic Bank, likened the practice to mopping the floor before turning off the water in an overflowing sink.

But others argue that litter picking can help to change people’s attitudes towards their own litter. For example, the Keep Scotland Beautiful campaign views trash picking as an opportunity to “change your community’s relationship to litter and [for] promoting behavior change.”

Redditors seemed to agree that individuals could make a difference in their own communities.

“I started doing this after seeing someone in my neighborhood with a grabber. Now that Reddit has seen your post, *who knows* how many people might start?” one user comments.

“This is really what matters and something each and everyone can do,” another replies

Want more? Follow The Cool Down on Instagram and join our Weekly Newsletter for cool stories and easy tips that save you money, time, and our planet.


Certainly!

Here is a concise summary, focusing on the requested key aspects of Syria’s traditional glassblowing, especially as practiced in Damascus, based on the information presented and established background research, synthesized into a report for your workshop series introduction:

---

**Traditional Glassblowing in Syria: Historical Overview and Cultural Importance**

Syria has long been renowned for its glassblowing tradition, with Damascus a central hub of this ancient craft.

Evidence suggests that the roots of Syrian glassmaking stretch back over 2,000 years, possibly to the Roman era, making it one of the world’s oldest centers for glass production.

Syrian glassblowers historically developed and refined free-blowing techniques that remain foundational in the history of glassmaking worldwide.

The art flourished particularly in medieval and Ottoman times, with Damascus and Aleppo famed for their vibrant markets alive with the shimmer of hand-blown glass—delicate oil lamps, goblets, vases, and intricate, colored vessels.

Traditional workshops in Damascus employed family-based methods, with skills transmitted orally and through apprenticeships, fostering an intimate artisanal community.

Glass objects from Syria are distinguished by their vibrant colors, iridescent sheen, and intricate decorations, often combining local aesthetics with motifs influenced by centuries of trade across the Islamic world.

Blown glass is celebrated both for its beauty and practical utility in Syrian daily life, from serving ware to architectural elements.

**Current Status and Challenges**

This craft has suffered severely in recent decades.

Modern industrial glass, cheap imports, and, most acutely, the impact of the Syrian conflict have threatened its survival.

Many workshops in Damascus and elsewhere have closed; specialist skills are at risk of disappearing as older craftspeople pass away and younger generations lack incentive or opportunity to learn the traditional methods.

Certainly!

Title:

Content: Podcasts: Feature

I Am Not Your Refugee: Ana Surie

A conversation about the ‘Ana Surie’ (‘I Am Syrian’) photography exhibition organised in the Zaatari refugee camp

29 September 2022, 9.17am
  • This podcast series was supported by the Pulitzer Center

Mohamad Khalf has been teaching photography in Zaatari refugee camp, Jordan, for many years – instilling a love of learning and creative expression in his students Ali and Mohammed Nour Al-Babisi.

They talk to Bairbre Flood about the photography exhibition Mohmamad Khalf organised in the camp, called ‘Ana Surie’ (‘I Am Syrian’) and why they are Syrian first – not refugees.

Nour Al-Hariri shares her rap music and explains why she writes about early marriage, child labour, and other issues - and why the many talented and creative women in the camp should be supported more.

Watch some of the short films created by Al-Balbisi.

Presented by Mahmoud Hassino and produced by Bairbre Flood.

Theme music by Omar Alkilani. Artwork by Haya Halaw.

With thanks to the Pulitzer Center for funding support.

Transcript

Mahmoud Hassino: Hi, I'm Mahmoud Hassino and you're listening to I Am Not Your Refugee, a podcast created by myself and Bairbre Flood in collaboration with some of the refugee community organizers, activists and artists working to challenge stereotypes around migration. With thanks to the Pulitzer Center for funding support

Hi, and welcome to this week's episode, which comes to you from Zaatari camp in Jordan. Zaatari is home to just over 80,000 people who were forced to leave Syria during the war. More than half of the camps residents are children. Muhammad Khalf has been teaching photography in Zaatari for many years. We'll hear more from him throughout the program. But first, we talked to one of his students, Ali. During his chat with Bairbre, he talks about a photography exhibition, Mohammed Khalf organized in the camp called 'Ana Surie', 'I Am Syrian'.

Ali: I'm a Ali. I'm 23 years old. I'm Syrian but I live in Zaatari Camp in Jordan. I have been living in this camp in Jordan since I was 13. I finished my high school. And now I'm working as a photographer with some organization here in Zaatari camp. I like photography. It was it was a hobby when I was a child, and I improved it to make it something to stay alive. It was my hobby. And now it's my job. Mohammad Khalf gave me the basics. And after that he said that if I learn the whole thing you will do what I do. If I give you the basics, you will show me your creative. This is it.

Bairbre Flood: What did you like most about the way Mohammed taught or about the ethos of the course or how he did it?

Ali: Mohammad's style was so amazing for us because he was a teacher, instructor - a brother also - and the first supporter for us. He was helping us and everything that we can do it. And when we are making a mistake, he said okay, it's easy - it's not a big problem - to go ahead, to learn more and more.

Bairbre Flood: So in the project with Muhammad, I know you had an exhibition 'Ana Surie'? So why is it important for him to help people be proud of that?

Ali: I think the main thing in this project 'Ana Surie' it was just to let the people and all the word know what the meaning of the Syrian. We are not a refugee, we are human, this is it.

And we just show our culture and our traditional clothes, what we would like, what we are living. Like trees, or flowers. When I was in Syria you can see that in each house in Syria, there is a tree or flowers. And here is not. And we make it - you can see most of the houses here in Zaatari camp, you can see the trees rows. And this was something important for us to bring with us and to feel just we are there's something from our home.

I improved my skills and just now I'm on a level that they can see the photos and know if there any mistake in it or not. Get tips to make the photos more beautiful. It's good for me actually. And from the photography. I made a lot of relationship with friends. That was so good for me, actually, for Syrian people. Not just Syrian but outside the camp in Jordan, or you can see the Arabian country...from America from Britain.

Here in Zaatari camp the opportunity for the youth is so low actually. I'm now I'm 22 years old and I just finished my high school and I don't go to the university so I'm looking for a scholarship right now. So there's a lot of people here in Zaatari like this, like me. There was no opportunity just to learn. Maybe all of them and I'm one of them are looking forward to go outside the camp, to Arabian country maybe, to Europe, America, or any country just to complete our learning. We do not like to stay in the same thing. Okay, we are in the high school and what else? Just we are working to complete our life. So all of us want to go outside just get more opportunity.

Mahmoud Hassino: Another of Mohammad Khalf's students Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi chats with Bairbre and Mohammad Khalf interprets:

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: The picture no back again...

Bairbre Flood: Oh like it's once off yeah, like it happens once that's it. So he has to capture it.

Mohammad Khalf: No internet. The picture no back again.

Bairbre Flood: It happens once and that's it.

Mohammad Khalf: Yeah, the picture is remember.

Bairbre Flood: The picture will never come...the picture will never come back.

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: The camp has many creative people here. Refugees need a chance because the creative inside. Skills, creative need chance.

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Bairbre Flood: What's it called? (The film)

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: Full day in Zaatari.

Mohammad Khalf: Full day of Zaatari. From morning to night.

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: Start with the sun.

Bairbre Flood: Sunrise.

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: Many shops...

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: General shots.

Bairbre Flood: Like of people going about their business. {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: Life of a refugee.

Bairbre Flood: Why that's so important for you to make that and not somebody coming in from Ireland or England or America and coming into the camp and making it? Why is it so important for somebody in the camp?

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: He is taking picture because no people knows how is refugee live in Zaatari camp.

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: He has nationality. Not refugee.

Bairbre Flood: Okay. You're Syrian?

Mohammad Khalf: Yeah, he is. He is Syrian. Not refugee. The refugee here. We hates speak 'refugee, refugee, refugee'. Ana Surie {speaks in Arabic}.

Bairbre Flood: Okay, it's important. For community and for pride, okay. Is there anything you want to tell people?

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: {speaks in Arabic}

Bairbre Flood: {speaks in Arabic} Nothing? Ok! Watch the video.

Muhammad Nour Al-Balbisi: {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Finish film 'Full day of Zaatari' and {speaks in Arabic} new project - Ramadan month...

Bairbre Flood: You're gonna film all through the month?

Mohammad Khalf: Ramadan after this month.

Bairbre Flood: In April?

Mohammad Khalf: Yeah. He has one project about Ramadan.

Bairbre Flood: Okay it's good {speaks in Arabic}

Mohammad Khalf: She waiting to see film.

Bairbre Flood: {speaks in Arabic} thank you so much.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Nour Al Hariri: {speaks in Arabic - raps a piece she's written}

Ataa Hamidi: Her name is Nour Huda Akram Al Hariri.

Nour Al Hariri: {speaks in Arabic}

Ataa Hamidi: She wrote a song about rap. This song name is {speaks in Arabic} which mean in English 'when I want to be different person I should make the difference'. I should change something. When she completed this song she was she was lvery happy with this song and she can do something and she can do many changes. She decided to go through this aspect and write songs.

Nour Al Hariri: {speaks in Arabic}

Ataa Hamidi: One of her most important people - she wanted to be like him - his name is Ismail Tamar. He is a singer and he also sing the rap. She wanted to imitate him and to be like him.

Nour Al Hariri: {speaks in Arabic}

Ataa Hamidi: At this moment, I discovered that there's no need to stop and to be to waiting for anything. Because life is going on. And there is no need to waste the time so that I decided to have another person help me. I write and the other person sing and this person I choose my sister Bruj.

Nour Al Hariri: {speaks in Arabic}

Ataa Hamidi: We started together my sister and me. And when we show the people they liked the idea and they told us: why don't you improve this aspect? And you evaluate this song and do more of this song and we did it.

Bairbre Flood: What do you write about?

Nour Al Hariri: {speaks in Arabic}

Ataa Hamidi: MashAllah, she's so fast! We we wrote the songs for many topics. And one of the most important and familiar topics was the early marriage. And also one of the most important topic that they wrote songs about is violence, especially with the mother or the woman. And then they wrote many topics about the kids work, the kids they work in the camp. They still young, no more than 10 years or 11 years and they worked in the camp.. They wanted to focus on this idea and wrote many songs on this topic. They also wanted to focus on the topic of the woman right, they thought that a woman in the camp may need more support. This is why they focus on this idea.

Nour Al Hariri: {speaks in Arabic}

Ataa Hamidi: Being a feminist means many things to her because as a Syrian refugee feminist in the camp mean like maybe many people will see her as a very bad way or constantly treat her as a very bad way. She wanted to change this idea and she wanted to change the thought of our many people for the woman in the camp. Her sister and her wanted to change the traditional in the camp and also outside the camp because you know, when you being as a singer of rap this mean you are a very different person - especially you are a feminist. So she wanted to change this idea.

Nour Al Hariri: {speaks in Arabic}

Ataa Hamidi: There's many ideas she wanted people to focus in, and she wanted the other country out of Jordan even, to focus on the most. But the most important idea she wanted people to focus in that why don't support us as refugees more? Don't support us more as refugees in general? And she also wants people to focus on support the woman especially. Here in the camp, there are many creative and talented girls.

Nour Al Hariri: {speaks in Arabic}

Ataa Hamidi: She said that being a refugee is not just a person he left his home and his homeland, and sit and live in another place. No, she mean, we are human, persons. And we have many successful ideas, and we are most of us as a highly educated persons. And most of us have very positive and talented work, but they just need a support from people and they need people to see them not just as refugee, but as a human.

Nour Al Hariri and Burj: {speaks in Arabic - recites a rap they wrote}

Nour Al Hariri and her sister Burj, with thanks to Ataa Hamidi for interpreting the interview with Nour for us.

Mahmoud Hassino: Finally, we hear from Mohammad Khalf and after the interview, he shows Bairbre and Ataa some of his students photographs over the years.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: My name is Mohammed Khalf, from Syria. from Dara and born in Damascus.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: I started my volunteer work with children to help them take photographs,

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: I liked it when the children express their feelings through the photographs

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: From the beginning, I refused the idea that I was just a refugee. And I taught the children to be proud of being Syrian too.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: I'm proud to be helping to change the negative ideas around refugees and proud that I'm one of the people who helped create change in the camp.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: Some of the students I worked with have gone on to get work with some of the organizations and the camp

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: And these days I teach children in my house in a small school I've built at the side of my house.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: My volunteer work helps me to keep positive and be more motivated and have more opportunities in the camp for study and work.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: And this work helped me to be closer to the kids in the camp and to my own kids and helped me to decide to be a class teacher and start to study this in the university.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: I know that the change starts from inside us and I decided to strengthen myself more and more and do more volunteer work with the kids.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: And I focused more on the teaching process and help the kids because I want them all to be successful and to be changemakers

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: I want to say something to those who think that there is no creativity in the camp. There are many creative people here in the camp who are successful and talented. I just want to say as well that I'm constantly inspired by my wife, Salam.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Voice Actor: I know there's a lot of stereotypes around refugees that's why I tell the children to say I am not a refugee - Ana Surie - I am Syrian. And be proud of that.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Bairbre Flood: A car made out of disability wheelchair, and a caravan here.

Ataa Hamidi: Yes.

Bairbre Flood: That's so cool.

Ataa Hamidi: Different way like.

Bairbre Flood: It's good. Yeah. It's a good picture too.

Mohammad Khalf: {speaks in Arabic}

Bairbre Flood: These are beautiful.

Mohammad Khalf: Camera digital not professional.

Bairbre Flood: A digital camera. That's a very cool.

Ataa Hamidi: He looks not like a refugee -

Bairbre Flood: He looks like an actor!

Ataa Hamidi: He looks like he looks like a Syrian actor, Jamal Suliman.

Bairbre Flood: And these these photos are from all his students as well?

Ataa Hamidi: Yes this photo's from his students.

Bairbre Flood: They're beautiful.

Ataa Hamidi: {speaks in Arabic}

Mahmoud Hassino: Huge thanks to Ali, Muhammad Nour Al Balbisi, Nour Al Hariri and her sister Burj, Ataa Hamidi and Muhammad, Khalf. His wife, Salem, voice actor, Aboudi Dabbagh, and everyone in Mafraq and Zaatari, who helped with this episode. Links to the photographers and the short films they've produced are in the show notes, as are links to more of the work of Nour Al Hariri.

Thank you for listening from myself, Mahmoud Hassino, and producer Bairbre Flood. Music by Omar Al Kilani. Join us next time for our art episode. With artherestanbul, Syrian illustrator and artist Haya Halaw, and Irish-Pakistani artist Hina Khan. See you then! With thanks to the Pulitzer Center for funding support.

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Here is a concise summary, focusing on the requested key aspects of Syria’s traditional glassblowing, especially as practiced in Damascus, based on the information presented and established background research, synthesized into a report for your workshop series introduction:

---

**Traditional Glassblowing in Syria: Historical Overview and Cultural Importance**

Syria has long been renowned for its glassblowing tradition, with Damascus a central hub of this ancient craft.

Title:

Content: Art of glassblowing returns again in Aleppo countryside liberated from terrorism

The town of Urem Al-Kubra in Aleppo province in northern Syria has historically been famous for its skilled glassblowing craftsmen. The war considerably affected this traditional craft inherited from our ancestors, but after the liberation of the city from terrorism, some artisans have brought it back to life. The artisan, Yassin Arab learned the glassblowing craft from his father when he was a child, and after the town was liberated from terrorism, he returned to his small facility, where he worked to restore it and start working again. Arab does not hide his enormous passion for the craft of glassblowing and his belief in the need to preserve this ancient Syrian heritage. Regarding the working mechanism, the artisan explained to SANA that he uses recycled glass, melts it again in the oven at high temperature, and then chooses a specific shape for its manufacture, whether hookah bottles, vases, plates, small jugs, fish houses for decoration, decorated cups and antiques of different sizes. After that, t he piece is blown, rotated and processed by the artisan until it takes its final shape using white and brown colors, and once the manufacturing of the product is finished, it is decorated and colored to give it the required aesthetics. For his part, Hussein Najjar noted that he learned the craft of blowing glass manually since he was young and has been working in this field for 40 years. He added that he is able to make any shape or glass container, using his imagination, and considered that the art of glassblowing is one of the types of plastic arts. Traditional glassblowing is a profession that dates back more than two thousand years (since the time of the Phoenicians) and was included in December 2023 by UNESCO on the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity that needs urgent preservation. Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

Evidence suggests that the roots of Syrian glassmaking stretch back over 2,000 years, possibly to the Roman era, making it one of the world’s oldest centers for glass production.

Title:

Content: Manal AlDowayan to represent Saudi Arabia at Biennale Arte 2024

Artist Manal AlDowayan in Venice, 2023. Courtesy of the artist and the Visual Arts Commission, the Commissioner for the National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia

Artist Manal AlDowayan in Venice, 2023. Courtesy of the artist and the Visual Arts Commission, the Commissioner for the National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia

  • Manal AlDowayan is one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant contemporary artists, recognised internationally for her work that spans participatory practice, photography, sound and sculpture
  • The artist interrogates traditions, collective memories and the status and representation of women
  • The Saudi Pavilion is commissioned by the Ministry of Culture’s Visual Arts Commission
  • This will mark Saudi Arabia’s fourth participation in the Biennale Arte, and is the third National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia to feature woman artists

Artist Manal AlDowayan in Venice, 2023. Courtesy of the artist and the Visual Arts Commission, the Commissioner for the National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Manal AlDowayan will represent Saudi Arabia at the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, taking place from 20 April to 24 November 2024. The Saudi Pavilion is commissioned by the Ministry of Culture’s Visual Arts Commission.

AlDowayan is one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant contemporary artists working internationally. Her work, which spans various mediums including photography, sound, sculpture, and participatory practice, interrogates traditions, collective memories and the status and representation of women.

AlDowayan acts as a critical witness to the cultural and social metamorphoses sweeping her home country, and her work in turn navigates a territory where the personal and the societal overlap. Her works explore themes such as invisibility, active forgetting, and collective memory. Through her decades-long practice, AlDowayan’s art resonates with audiences around the world, fostering connection, interaction, and engagement. She is best known for participatory installations such as Suspended Together (2011) and Esmi-My Name (2012), which are the result of participatory workshops offering channels for thousands of women in Saudi Arabia to reflect on social customs relating to the position of women in Saudi Arabia and further afield.

Commenting on her participation, AlDowayan says:

My approach to art over the last two decades has given me the chance to be part of a transformation that is taking place in my country. The Biennale Arte 2024 presents a rare opportunity to represent where I stand in my practice, positioned in the context of my community, my country, and the world as a whole.

More recently, AlDowayan performed From Shattered Ruins, New Life Shall Bloom at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York in August 2023. There, she invited visitors to navigate the space which featured a landscape of totems topped with porcelain rolls filled with texts and images depicting narratives that have upheld structures around women for generations. In a conclusive collective gesture of protest against a history of control, participants destroyed the scrolls – ultimately stripping the words and images of their power and encouraging solidarity in the face of fragmentation of action and the need for a multipolar approach when it comes to helping women and girls around the world.

Dina Amin, Chief Executive Officer of the Visual Arts Commission says: At the Visual Arts Commission, our goal is to bring to the forefront the talent that resides within our country and to look for ways to nurture, amplify and celebrate it on local, regional and international stages. We are proud to be showcasing Manal AlDowayans work at the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, an important international platform for exchange.

This will mark Saudi Arabia’s fourth participation at the International Art Exhibitions of La Biennale di Venezia and is the third National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia to feature woman artists. A concept and further details surrounding AlDowayan’s installation will be announced at a later stage, but the artist revealed that the Saudi Pavilion will reflect on the Biennale Arte’s overarching theme. Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere, curated by Adriano Pedrosa, will bring together artists to reflect on the differences and disparities conditioned by areas such as identity, nationality, race and gender, amongst others.

The exhibition will be on view from 20 April to 24 November 2024 at the National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia’s permanent space at the Arsenale, Sale d’Armi, Venice, Italy.

Manal AlDowayan for The National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia, commissioned by the Visual Arts Commission, 20 April – 24 November: saudipavilion.org

Press contacts:
Rania Habib at Pelham Communications
rania@pelhamcommunications.com

Annabel Hoyng-Van der Meijden at Pelham Communications
annabel@pelhamcommunications.com

Press kit link here.

About Manal AlDowayan
AlDowayan is one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant contemporary artists working internationally. Her work, which spans various mediums including photography, sound, sculpture, and participatory practice, interrogates traditions, collective memories and the status and representation of women. AlDowayan’s work has been exhibited regionally and internationally in institutions such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, USA (2023); the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada (2023); Los Angeles County Museum of Art, USA (2023); Misk Art Institute, Saudi Arabia (2023, 2022); Setouchi Triennale, Japan (2022); Louvre Abu Dhabi, UAE (2023); Diriyah Biennale, Saudi Arabia (2022); Taehwa River Eco Festival, Korea (2021); V&A Museum, UK (2021); British Museum, UK (2021); Desert X AlUla, Saudi Arabia (2020); The Nobel Museum, Sweden (2019); the Aga Khan Museum, Canada (2018); Royal College of Art, UK (2018); Abu Dhabi Art, UAE (2017); Institut du Monde Arabe, France (2017); the Sharjah Art Foundation, UAE (2016); Santander Art Gallery, Madrid (2016); Los Angeles County Museum of Art, USA (2015); Prospect New Orleans, American Biennial, USA (2014); Gwangju Museum of Art, South Korea (2014); Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Qatar (2014); and in a Collateral Event at the Biennale Arte in 2009 and 2011, among others. Her works can be found in the collections of the British Museum, UK; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark; the Centre Pompidou, France; Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Qatar; and the Solomon R. Guggenheim, USA. She participated in the Robert Rauschenberg Residency, USA (2015), and the artist-in-residence programme at the Delfina Foundation, UK (2009).

She holds an MA in Contemporary Art Practice in Public Spheres from the Royal College of Art, London. She also received a research fellowship from New York University Abu Dhabi (2014). Born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in 1973, AlDowayan currently lives and works between London, Dhahran and Dubai.

Website: https://www.manaldowayan.com/
Instagram: @manaldowayan
#ManalAlDowayan

About the Visual Arts Commission:
The Visual Arts Commission is one of 11 sector-specific commissions under the Ministry of Culture. Founded in 2020, it is leading the development of the visual arts sector in Saudi Arabia. The Commission is working to nurture the talent of art enthusiasts, practitioners, and professionals in the Kingdom, and support the production and exhibition of artwork in all its forms, locally and internationally.

To learn more about the Visual Arts Commission, please visit www.visualarts.moc.gov.sa/en and the commission’s page on Twitter @MOCVisualArts

About the Ministry of Culture:
Saudi Arabia has a vast history of arts and culture. The Ministry of Culture is developing Saudi Arabia’s cultural economy and enriching the daily lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.

Overseeing 11 sector-specific commissions, the Ministry is leading a cultural transformation to develop an abundant ecosystem that nurtures creativity, unlocks the economic potential of the sector and unleashes new and inspiring forms of expression.

Find the Ministry of Culture on social media: Twitter @MOCSaudi (Arabic); @MOCSaudi_En (English) | Instagram @mocsaudi

About the National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia:
The National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia supports and celebrates the Kingdom’s artistic and architectural community. It serves as a meeting space for dialogue between creative minds, and an exchange of concepts and ideas. The pavilion provides a permanent home for research and ideation from the nation’s leading cultural voices.

To learn more about the National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia, please visit www.saudipavilion.org and on Instagram: @saudipavilion.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a91498e-5d3e-41fa-91e4-de6dd610be50

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8983844

Syrian glassblowers historically developed and refined free-blowing techniques that remain foundational in the history of glassmaking worldwide.

The art flourished particularly in medieval and Ottoman times, with Damascus and Aleppo famed for their vibrant markets alive with the shimmer of hand-blown glass—delicate oil lamps, goblets, vases, and intricate, colored vessels.

Traditional workshops in Damascus employed family-based methods, with skills transmitted orally and through apprenticeships, fostering an intimate artisanal community.

Title:

Content: How a co-op and an artist plan to revive Lebanon’s wool trade

A woman’s cooperative is using discarded wool to weave handcrafted rugs to sell abroad and revive fortunes at home.

Shortages of raw materials are impacting many sectors of Lebanon’s crisis-ridden economy. But two things it has in abundance are grazing pastures and Awassi sheep.

Indigenous to Lebanon, Awassi sheep produce lots of wool – tonnes of which are thrown away each year, the United Nations reckons.

It wasn’t always that way. Lebanon’s wool and textile industry thrived from the 1970s until the turn of the century, but wars abroad and cheap imports from China roiled the once-healthy trade.

Now, all industries in Lebanon are trying to stay afloat in the midst of a two-year-old economic crisis that has seen inflation soar, foreign exchange reserves dry up and citizens take to the streets to protest successive government failures to stem the carnage.

But in the Bekaa Valley, a small women’s cooperative isn’t waiting for the government to help. They’re taking matters into their own hands and using discarded Awassi wool to weave handcrafted rugs with an eye towards earning much-needed export revenue while creating a more sustainable local economy.

From thriving to foundering

Lebanon used to export textiles to Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Libya and the Gulf, independent economist Elie Yachoui told Al Jazeera. But that trade foundered after the administration of late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri lowered customs duties on textiles from 35 percent to 5 percent in 2000, flooding the local market with less expensive substitutes that crushed the domestic textile and wool industry, which Yachoui said supported at least 100,000 families.

“Lebanon had about 10 yarn factories, about 200 textile factories, 15 dye factories and hundreds, if not thousands, of factories that produced clothing,” said Yachoui. “After the customs changes, everything closed. They couldn’t compete with Chinese imports and sold all the machines to Syria or some moved to Egypt.”

With no factories to supply in Lebanon, shepherds in the Bekaa Valley started exporting almost all their raw Awassi wool to Syria for processing – until war broke out there in 2011, shuttering or destroying factories in Aleppo and unleashing sanctions that prohibited trade with Syria.

While UN Comtrade data shows little change in Lebanon’s textile exports over the last 10 years, Yachoui said the local Awassi wool trade was not captured by the metric. The only indicator that something had changed was the lack of any official textile exports to Syria after 2014, due to the conflict.

“Shepherds used to pack their wool into a pick-up truck and smuggle it across the border, sell it directly to the factories. None of this registered, but that was how all the local wool would get to Syria,” Yachoui said. “All the wool that is exported to the rest of the world is likely imported wool from other places because we have triangular trade in Lebanon, so they will be importing foreign wool and selling it on to other countries.”

But the Bekaa Valley’s wool production is getting a kick-start from Bisat al Rih, an Aarsal-based women’s cooperative that makes carpets using Awassi wool.

Founded by Halima Al Hojairy, the cooperative aims to provide work – and a steady source of revenue – for local women and to keep Lebanon’s traditional crafts alive by passing on the skills she learned from her family.

“I wanted to help local families in the Bekaa and create a small market for the sheeps’ wool that piles up in the village and surrounding areas,” Hojairy told Al Jazeera. “We’re trying, as a cooperative, to create a market for this wool again, finding products to make from it and telling people to buy directly from the shepherds.”

Currently, the cooperative uses roughly 250kg of Awassi wool per year. But Hojairy is hoping that the co-op will expand its production along with sales – both abroad and at home.

The Lebanese pound has lost more than 90 percent of its value against the United States dollar over the past two years, but that makes Lebanese exports like woolen rugs more competitive. And though most people in Lebanon have little cash to spare on home furnishings, Hojairy is betting that those who do have the funds to spruce up their homes will gravitate to more affordable locally made goods.

“If we worked on this, we could find a way to make a market around this again,” said Hojairy, adding that the market would not only benefit livelihoods, but the environment as well. “It takes a long time [for discarded wool] to disintegrate,” she says, “and it pollutes the landscape, too.”

Artisanship and possibilities

Textile artist Adrian Pepe has been working with Bisat Al Rih on a project that aims to showcase possible uses for local raw materials like Awassi wool. During the initial round of coronavirus pandemic lockdowns last year, Pepe spent months in Aarsal getting to know the local shepherds and learning about the excess wool left to wither every year.

He recently showed a series of carpets he made with salvaged Awassi wool at a Dubai Design Week exhibit titled Entangled Matters.

The rugs use several wool materials, tracing the evolution of textiles from sheepskin to felt – the earliest known textile – to spun wool knitted into fabrics and embroidery.

“In the past, [Lebanese wool] couldn’t compete against international wool standards, because the material is a little rough, and then synthetic materials became cheaper than the natural material,” he told Al Jazeera. “Now, with the dollar rate affecting imports, the local wool is cheaper, but no one knows about it.”

Pepe said the exhibit is designed to inspire other artisans to use Awassi wool by showcasing “the breadth of possibilities with the material itself”.

“It’s the first step into that commercial space and for me, that’s very important,” he said.

Pepe is also working on a more practical use for felt made with Awassi wool, teaching women at Bisat Al Rih how to make felt – a skill they plan to apply renovating 300 tents at a Syrian refugee camp near Aarsal.

But economists say that in order for nascent efforts to breathe life back into Lebanon’s wool export trade – as well as other productive industries – the government must create a nurturing environment by avoiding past policies that decimated local producers.

“Encouraging local production rests on raising customs tariffs to protect local products, giving tax incentives to local producers, subsidising as much as possible raw material imports, and promoting local products abroad while concentrating on high-value products, [such as] food products, vegetables and jewelry,” Group Chief Economist and Head of Research at Bank Audi Marwan Barakat told Al Jazeera.

Source: Al Jazeera

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Glass objects from Syria are distinguished by their vibrant colors, iridescent sheen, and intricate decorations, often combining local aesthetics with motifs influenced by centuries of trade across the Islamic world.

Blown glass is celebrated both for its beauty and practical utility in Syrian daily life, from serving ware to architectural elements.

**Current Status and Challenges**

This craft has suffered severely in recent decades.

Modern industrial glass, cheap imports, and, most acutely, the impact of the Syrian conflict have threatened its survival.

Many workshops in Damascus and elsewhere have closed; specialist skills are at risk of disappearing as older craftspeople pass away and younger generations lack incentive or opportunity to learn the traditional methods.