**Summary Report: Traditional Syrian Glassblowing in Damascus**

**History of the Craft**
Syria, and specifically the city of Damascus, has an ancient heritage of glassblowing that dates back almost two millennia.

Historical evidence suggests Syrians were among the first to develop glassblowing techniques in the 1st century BCE, transforming glassmaking from an exclusive and laborious craft into a widespread artisanal tradition.

Syrian glassblowers innovated by using blowpipes to shape molten glass, producing both utilitarian vessels and decorative works of exceptional clarity and color.

Damascus became renowned across the ancient world for its glass products, contributing significantly to trade and cultural exchange throughout the Mediterranean and beyond.

Traditional Syrian glassblowing methods are characterized by free-hand shaping, recycling of glass, and unique local styles and motifs.

**Cultural Importance**
Glassblowing is woven into Syria’s material and visual culture, symbolizing both ingenuity and artistic expression.

Handmade glass vessels, lamps, and colored ornaments once adorned homes, mosques, and public spaces.

The craft is transmitted through generations within families and workshops, forming a core part of urban artisanal identity in Damascus.

Syrain glass is cherished for its unique imperfections and vibrant colors, reflecting the maker’s hand and creativity.

In Syrian society, glass items often feature in important family occasions, rituals, and as symbols of hospitality.

**Current Status**
The traditional craft faces severe challenges today.

Decades of modern industrialization, economic turbulence, and especially the devastation caused by the ongoing Syrian conflict have dramatically reduced the number of master glassblowers.

Many workshops have closed or been abandoned; only a handful of artisans continue to practice the full traditional process by hand, often under difficult circumstances.

The destruction of infrastructure and markets, along with forced displacement, has further endangered the continuity of the craft, which now teeters on the brink of extinction.

Revival efforts exist in some liberated areas (notably Aleppo), but sustainability remains precarious.

**UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Listing: Urgency of Safeguarding**
In recognition of these threats, UNESCO inscribed Syrian glassblowing on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The craft’s inclusion is driven by real risks: drastic dwindling of practitioners, erosion of traditional knowledge, and loss of living heritage integral to Syria’s cultural identity.

UNESCO emphasizes the urgent need for protection—supporting transmission, training of young artisans, documentation, and provision of resources for workshops—to ensure the survival of this unique artisanal tradition for future generations.

The listing seeks to catalyze national and global action to preserve the craft as a symbol of Syrian resilience and creativity.

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This concise overview provides the history, cultural import, current precarious status, and global urgency of safeguarding traditional Syrian glassblowing, especially as concentrated in Damascus.

It is suitable for use as background in your workshop introduction.

Here’s a synthesized report summarizing key points relevant to an introduction for the Syrian glassblower, using nuggets of information from the provided extracts and context on Syrian glassblowing:

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**Syrian Glassblowing: Tradition, Heritage, and Preservation**

**Historical Significance:**
Traditional glassblowing in Syria, especially centered in Damascus, is one of the world's oldest glassmaking traditions, with a history that traces back over two millennia.

Syria is widely recognized as the birthplace of glassblowing in the 1st century BCE, a revolutionary technical innovation that allowed artisans to shape molten glass using blowpipes.

Early Syrian glass products, ranging from functional containers to ornate vessels, were prized throughout the Roman Empire, and ancient shards continue to be a testament to Syrian mastery of the craft.

**Cultural Importance:**
Syrian glassblowing isn’t just a technique—it’s an expressive art deeply embedded in the country’s cultural identity.

The craft characteristically involves hand-blowing recycled glass, producing unique colors and organic forms, adorned with intricate patterns and shapes.

Techniques are traditionally passed down through generations, and the glowing furnaces and rhythmic breath of glassblowers have long been part of the distinctive sounds and sights in Damascus' artisanal quarters.

**Current Status and Urgency:**
Today, Syrian glassblowing faces significant peril.

The number of skilled craftsmen has diminished dramatically due to factors such as industrialization, economic hardship, globalization, and, most recently, the devastation wrought by conflict and instability.

Workshops and glass furnaces—many family-run and centuries old—have been shuttered, and the communal knowledge and techniques risk fading from memory.

Estimates suggest only a handful of practitioners remain, with much of the market overtaken by factory-made or imported glass.

**UNESCO’s Recognition and Reasons for Safeguarding:**
Recognizing this urgent situation, UNESCO has inscribed “The craft skills and knowledge of handmade glassmaking in Damascus” on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Inclusion on this list is reserved for traditions at imminent risk of disappearing without immediate support.

UNESCO acknowledges the craft’s historic and cultural significance, its unique artistry, and its tight-knit intergenerational transmission.

Preservation is seen as crucial for ensuring that this heritage does not vanish but, instead, continues—adapting to new times while honoring its ancient legacy.

Protecting this craft means supporting living links to history, regional identity, and artistic diversity, and offers Syrian communities a sense of continuity and pride.

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This context will help you deliver an informative and heartfelt introduction, highlighting both the prestige and the precariousness of traditional Syrian glassblowing for your audience.

**Summary: Traditional Glassblowing in Syria – History, Importance, and UNESCO Urgency**

**Historical Context:**
- Damascus has been an ancient center for artisanal crafts, with glassblowing being one of the oldest and most renowned Syrian industries.

- The country is world-famous for “Syrian glass”, with traditions believed to date back over 2,000 years.

Ancient sources suggest the first man-made glass objects were created in this region, and Syrian craftspeople are credited with significant innovations, such as the blowpipe, in glass production.

- Over centuries, Syrian glassblowing developed unique forms, colors, and decorations, rooted in both functional and artistic needs.

The technique was traditionally passed down through family or apprentice-based workshops.

- Noted centers in Damascus produced signature items: colored, enameled, and gilded glassware known for delicate artistry and intricate designs.

**Cultural Significance:**
- The craft is more than a profession; it represents Syrian identity, urban aesthetics, and communal heritage.

Artisanal glass products – from pitchers to lamps and vases – have decorated Syrian homes and public spaces for generations.

- The continued practice of glassblowing is deeply tied to Damascus’s image as a hub for exquisite taste and creativity.

The city’s artisans are celebrated for their craftsmanship, and their work often features in markets, festivals, and as exports shaping perceptions of Syrian culture.

- Traditional crafts, in general, foster social cohesion, intergenerational ties, and a sense of belonging by connecting present-day Syrians with their historical roots.

**Current Status and Challenges:**
- Traditional Syrian glassblowing, like other handicrafts, faces severe decline due to modern market pressures, conflict, and the influx of mass-produced goods.

- The number of master craftsmen practicing traditional techniques has dramatically fallen.

In some crafts, as with Sarr Al-Qaz (a silk-related craft), only one practitioner remains, signaling similar peril for glassblowing.

- Organizations and cultural incubators (such as the Dummar Incubator for Heritage Crafts) are stepping in, trying to recruit young people and revive interest, but these efforts struggle against daunting odds—modern tastes, economic hardship, and the devastation of heritage sites and workshops due to the Syrian conflict.

**Why UNESCO Intervention Was Urgent:**
- In 2023, UNESCO placed Syrian glassblowing on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

- The reasons: rapid loss of master craftsmen, endangered transmission of skills, and destruction of traditional workshops.

Without intervention, there’s the real risk of losing distinctive centuries-old methods and the associated cultural narrative.

- UNESCO emphasizes documentation, teaching, and community-driven efforts as vital to preserve the craft—not only as a source of income, but as a repository of Syrian collective memory and creative ingenuity.

**Conclusion:**
Syrian glassblowing embodies the history, resilience, and artistry of its people.

Its survival relies on protected spaces for learning, sharing, and creating—making the work of today’s artisans and their advocates critical, and the recognition by organizations like UNESCO more important than ever.

There is no relevant information about Syrian glassblowing or Damascus glass in the provided text extracts.

Please provide extracts pertaining to traditional Syrian glassblowing, its history, cultural significance, current status, or UNESCO listing, and I will summarize them accordingly.

**Summary Report: Traditional Syrian Glassblowing in Damascus**

**History of the Craft**
Syria, and specifically the city of Damascus, has an ancient heritage of glassblowing that dates back almost two millennia.

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

Historical evidence suggests Syrians were among the first to develop glassblowing techniques in the 1st century BCE, transforming glassmaking from an exclusive and laborious craft into a widespread artisanal tradition.

Syrian glassblowers innovated by using blowpipes to shape molten glass, producing both utilitarian vessels and decorative works of exceptional clarity and color.

Damascus became renowned across the ancient world for its glass products, contributing significantly to trade and cultural exchange throughout the Mediterranean and beyond.

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

Traditional Syrian glassblowing methods are characterized by free-hand shaping, recycling of glass, and unique local styles and motifs.

**Cultural Importance**
Glassblowing is woven into Syria’s material and visual culture, symbolizing both ingenuity and artistic expression.

Handmade glass vessels, lamps, and colored ornaments once adorned homes, mosques, and public spaces.

The craft is transmitted through generations within families and workshops, forming a core part of urban artisanal identity in Damascus.

Title:

Content: Meet Sumayya Vally, the woman behind the world's first ever Islamic Arts Biennale

Sumayya Vally   -  Copyright  Lou Jasmine
By Elise Morton

Changemaker, Pioneer, and One to watch.

These would all be fair descriptions of South African architect Sumayya Vally who is presently organising the world’s first Islamic Arts Biennale in Saudi Arabia.

Born in Pretoria (1990), Vally co-founded the experimental architecture and research firm, Counterspace, in 2015 and went on to become the youngest ever architect commissioned to design London’s famed Serpentine Pavilion in 2020.

The following year, Vally was recognized in the Time 100 Next list as an emerging leader shaping the future.

This year, Vally has undertaken a new challenge: designing the first ever Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, Saudi Arab. Taking on this role saw her reimagine Jeddah Airport’s mammoth Hajj Terminal – ordinarily known for hosting hundreds of thousands of Muslims making their sacred pilgrimage to Mecca – as a journey through centuries of Islamic creativity. The Islamic Arts Biennale 2023 runs in Jeddah until 23 April 2023.

Euronews Culture spoke to Vally on the Biennale and its mission, the oft-contested definition of “Islamic art”, and the perspective she brings as a young, South African, Muslim woman spearheading such a seminal art event.

Why the need for an Islamic Arts Biennale?

I strongly feel that there is a need to acknowledge that Islamic faith, Islamic practice and Islamic tradition can and should be making a creative contribution to the world.

I have been thinking deeply about this opportunity to create a temporary home, an entirely new physical setting, one which has such a profound significance in the context of the Muslim pilgrim’s journey, in which to invite artists and audiences to reflect on ritual – the sacred, the personal, and the communal.

I think platforms for sharing ideas, pavilions, and biennales, for example, are incredibly important in how they set the tone for the future and how they allow us to project our imaginations into those spaces. To understand that we have the opportunity to make the future of culture and cultural typologies through these voices and perspectives, which reference and resonate with such diverse geographies, is profound.

How do you see the significance of a woman, and particularly a young Muslim woman, being the artistic director for this event, both within the context of contemporary Saudi Arabia and contemporary Islam? What does it mean to you?

My deepest strength is the confluence of lenses through which I see the world - the woman in me, the African in me, the Muslim in me and - these can be seen as limitations (and of course professionally they are), but they are absolutely the reason I see the future of the world and the visions I have for it in the ways I do.

I believe that hybridity is an incredible strength. The biennale foundation team is made up of a cohort of (mostly) strong women, all of whom are around my age and have cultural overlap with my background and upbringing.

It has been incredibly special to see and truly witness the value of our perspectives in putting forth a project that is entirely different – shaped entirely from these authentic perspectives. I think from the experience I’ve had with our team, if the future of culture is indeed in these hands, we are going to see remarkable things happening from here.

How do you understand the term "Islamic art"?

Existing definitions of “Islamic art” often focus on style, tradition, geography, pattern, and geometry. The ambition of this biennale is to build on and challenge these criteria, expanding on the existing canon of Islamic art, and to question the narrative, museological, and artistic practices of this time. Islamic artworks may have surface similarities, but what really unites them is inherent in how they are made, used, and understood.

When we identify great artworks as “Islamic”, we are simultaneously honouring historical traditions by keeping them alive, and contemporary practices by giving them a history. It is important to situate contemporary work in the historical narrative because it is only in context that things can belong.

The works in the biennale are experiential – they put forth an entirely different definition for Islamic Art – rooted in the experiential, the oral, the aural, our ritual practices and the ingredients and infrastructures of gathering and community.

For example, Cosmic Breath by Joe Namy choreographs the adhan, or call to prayer, from 18 different locations, where one wouldn't necessarily expect the call to prayer to be called – a parking lot, a gas station, the side of the road somewhere, from across the world, Japan, Durban in South Africa, Detroit. And he's recorded these and choreographed them so that the call starts at the same time. And this is really reflecting on the idea of cosmic breath, that every second of the day the call to prayer is being called somewhere on Earth. And there are five a day, so when we stand up in prayer, we're joining this undulating rhythm and this undulating call.

So many of our practices are not able to be held in traditional archives because they're not written forms. They're spoken, they're oral, they're passed down from generation to generation, from body to body. Many of our artists are not only taking on these practices and interpreting them in contemporary artworks, but are really deeply inspired by historic objects and historic practices.

In the works curated for this biennale, faith is resonant in the artists’ method of practice, regardless of their own faith or background. For example, the work of South African artist Igshaan Adams, who works collectively, weaving his tapestries together with a group of women from his home community.

The subject matter of his work is Islamic, but there's also something of a meditative nature in the way that he practises, and this repetitive action of weaving is also a kind of spiritual practice. So, we chose artists who have something of a spiritual nature that comes from the faith in their practice.

Who do you see as the main audience(s) for the Biennale?

My hope is that this biennale is an opportunity to invite audiences to reflect on ritual, the sacred, the personal and the communal - to build on that definition and to think through what Islamic Arts means and can mean, for now and for the future. We have seen a true cross-section of Jeddah come to experience the biennale – for many, this is their first experience of art in a setting like this in their own context – we have seen young and old people alike return to the biennale with their families. It has also been very special to witness pilgrims come over from the functioning airport across the road.

I have been avalanched with generous messages from people who came to the opening of the biennale. Many of these messages expressed a wish for the biennale to be in the West so that non-Muslims can access it and learn more about Islam, and see it presented in this way: deeply personal expressions from our artists about our ways of being.

As much as this biennale is an open hand and an invitation for all – east, west, north, south – the power of seeing ourselves represented in this way is also at the heart of the project.

I hope to convey the generativity of Islamic thinking and practice and the diversity and breadth of the Muslim world through the biennale. The philosophies of the Islamic faith offer the potential to think about the future differently. I am thinking beyond the stylistic traditions that have been called Islamic arts, and I have a deep interest in making a contribution to the canon here, to learn from how the philosophies of Islam and how the life of being a Muslim can inspire creativity and creative thinking.

There are an infinity of untold stories, unheard voices to be told, retold, made and remade.

You might also like

Syrain glass is cherished for its unique imperfections and vibrant colors, reflecting the maker’s hand and creativity.

In Syrian society, glass items often feature in important family occasions, rituals, and as symbols of hospitality.

**Current Status**
The traditional craft faces severe challenges today.

Title:

Content: Selma Feriani Gallery opens a new artistic era in Tunis

Tunisia has a long and distinguished history of art and the appreciation of art. Young artists are exploring new visions and building bridges to the rest of the world through a growing proliferation of art spaces. Omar Ben Yedder visits the Selma Feriani Gallery in Tunis, one of the latest to open.

By

Selma Feriani’s eponymous art gallery, which opened on 25th January 2024, is one of the growing number that have sprung up in Tunisia in the wake of the Arab Spring which also ended the dictatorial rein of Zine El Abedin Ben Ali in 2011.

Feriani says this reflects not only a change in the cultural climate, but also that there are fewer logistical barriers. “What really changed after the revolution [of 2011] was the use of public spaces, which was not possible before the revolution.

“That allowed for a lot of interesting projects sourced from outside galleries and outside institutions. There is also an emergence of art project spaces like La Boite Contemporary Art Centrale,” she explains.

Increased access to the city’s spaces for the artistic community has allowed greater forms of self-expression, she says. “For me, one of the most important festivals in Tunisia is Dream City, “she says.

The 9th edition of the Dream City festival took place in Tunis’s old town, the Medina from 22 September to 8 October 2023. The programme for this unique festival of Art in the City includes numerous works by artists from over 18 countries – Tunisia, Morocco, Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Portugal, Lebanon, Egypt, Belgium, Syria, United Kingdom, Palestine, United States, Kuwait, Nigeria, Haiti, Turkey, Mali, and Argentina), with creations, concerts, debates and immersive projects.

“The festival has expanded a lot after the revolution because they’ve been able to use the Medina and downtown Tunis in a very efficient way. They had access to a lot of sites that were not necessarily accessible to the public.”

Art has always been central to Tunisia, which in the 16th century was one of the centres of Arab culture and learning. Its artistic heritage bears influences from the Levant, Italy, Spain, Persia and the Near East, resulting in a distinctive Arabesque style.

Tunisian artists have long been recognised for their expertise in creating captivating mosaics and pottery which not only provide mesmerising decorative designs, but also narratives around the culture and history of the people.

With her new gallery, Feriani, who curates another gallery in London, wants to build cultural bridges from the Middle East to Europe and Latin America. The United States, she says, is a place that she will turn her attention to later.

The opening, attended by a who’s who in Tunis as well as renowned international collectors and specialised media, saw an exhibition by Nidhal Chamekh, one of five Tunisian artists Feriani represents in addition another 12 international ones.

She opened her first gallery in 2010 in London where she lives and another at Sidi Bou Said, a picturesque village, that is home to a bustling community of artists, in 2013. Housed in a former convent, it had nowhere near enough space to house the curator’s big dreams. Sidi Bou Said with its cobbled stones and narrow streets was also difficult to access and the space limiting for artists to fully work with.

The new gallery, located in La Goulette, an industrial port area in the northern suburbs of the capital, Tunis however, is a full 2,000m2, enough to accommodate the broad ambitions of its owner – such as having 17 artists in residence – as well as hosting others from other parts of the world to come and create site-specific pieces.

A big space for big ideas

She says it is the result of three years of “painstaking work” by herself and her team. “My idea was to work on site-specific projects, so every artist would come and put together a project that is specific to the space, because it was very difficult to develop a project in their studios, and then come and work on the scenography. They had to come, spend time in the space in Tunisia, and then develop the project.”

Naturally, the very idea of such a space can be challenging but Feriani says she is happy with the results. “A new space comes with a challenge because you need to get used to the space and understand how you’re going to take things forward, especially when you are displaying visually strong works and also very research-driven and with a lot of conceptual elements but I really took my time to make sure every single detail is looked at. I wanted to make sure it’s perfect so that when you come in, you have the same experience as you would in any major gallery around the world.” The initial reviews would seem to bear out her tenacity. “Art,” as she herself puts it, “has always been an act of resistance.”

With this new space. “We have an atelier (a residency) where the artist can spend time from August until January to produce sculptures and other installations. In September we will show, for the first time in Tunis, ‘French Pavilion’ [a grouping of installations and a film by Algerian artist Zineb Sedira) so that those who couldn’t go to the Venice Biennale can watch it here in Tunis. We have a Peruvian artist coming in November with a show developed in Tunisia with marble artisans.”

On the global art map

She wants the space to be a hub for international collaborations and artistic conversations. “So we will create this bridge and foster these conversations which, for me, are very important.” She has a schedule of events already planned for the next two years.

Feriani’s desire for international cooperation is mirrored by international interest in the artists that she is curating, some of whom have been associated with her gallery for over a decade and have really matured in their output over the period.

She expects that some of the artists will have the opportunity to showcase their work at the next Venice Biennale, for example, while globally renowned galleries such as the Tate Modern in London and the Guggenheim in New York, US.

A lot of institutions globally are looking at us as a result of the work we have done to promote our artists. I think curators and institutions are definitely looking at what’s happening here. Undoubtedly, we are on the map for them now.”

Will local collectors be able to make her venture viable? Despite the growth of the local art scene and collectors in Tunisia, Feriani says she doesn’t anticipate commercial success in the near term, especially given the economic downturn the country is facing.

“Commercially, the domestic market alone will not make [the gallery] necessarily viable. I think that’s the case for most of the commercial galleries and tours because there are very few domestic collectors and they are very price sensitive as well. And I don’t think it’s going to get better anytime soon.” she reports.

However that has not deterred her. “It looks complicated right now but we have a vision and we have a strategy, so there is no way for us to go backwards. We will continue to develop things back home. It’s in the DNA of the gallery. It’s my vision, my strategy, and it’s important for me to do it in Tunisia and to have a voice from Tunisia to the world,” she says.

It surely also helps that as an international gallery, the works are displayed elsewhere (in Western cities), enabling them to reach a wider audience and potential buyers.

World class

Feriani says she intends the gallery standards and quality to evolve to world class – her inspiration is London’s famous White Cube.

 “A new space comes with a challenge because you need to get used to the space and understand how you’re going to take things forward, especially when you are displaying visually strong works,” she says.

“But I really took my time to make sure of every single detail. I wanted to make sure it’s perfect so that when you come in, you have the same experience as you would in any major gallery around the world.” The initial reviews bear out her tenacity. “Art,” as she herself puts it, “has always been an act of resistance.”

The gallery also has extra facilities such as a bookstore and a library where people can either buy or borrow books. Again, unlike in purely commercial galleries, viewers will get a peek behind the curtains of the creative process, as they were able to with the exhibition that the gallery opened with.

“For the show we put together for Nidhal Chamekh, we had the main space showing the project but on the mezzanine and in the basement, we were able to show the process, how the exhibition was made and all the bibliography, meaning all the information and books used by the artist and the imagery and research behind the project.”

This is some distance from the typical commercial gallery where visitors are only able to see the product and make a purchase when they are moved to. “It was important for me to show a little bit of what happens behind the exhibition because it gives artists and also students a way to access the research and to better understand the thinking behind the creative work,” she emphasises.

Summarising the concept behind her efforts, she says: “What we are trying to do, is not only to promote art, but everything related to the city of Tunis.

“So people can come, travel for three days or a long weekend and not only go to the beach but also discover all the art centres and studios; take part in culinary tours and of course, visit the most famous museums – Carthage, and its Roman ruins, and the newly renovated Bardo, one of the largest museums on the continent. So we provided a tailored programme for our international guests.”

Feriani says she has received positive feedback from critics, curators, collectors, journalists and art lovers who saw the first exhibition and the city of Tunis as part of the package. For her, that’s exactly the objective she has set out for herself.

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Omar Ben Yedder

Omar is Editor-in-Chief of African Business.

Decades of modern industrialization, economic turbulence, and especially the devastation caused by the ongoing Syrian conflict have dramatically reduced the number of master glassblowers.

Many workshops have closed or been abandoned; only a handful of artisans continue to practice the full traditional process by hand, often under difficult circumstances.

The destruction of infrastructure and markets, along with forced displacement, has further endangered the continuity of the craft, which now teeters on the brink of extinction.

Revival efforts exist in some liberated areas (notably Aleppo), but sustainability remains precarious.

**UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Listing: Urgency of Safeguarding**
In recognition of these threats, UNESCO inscribed Syrian glassblowing on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The craft’s inclusion is driven by real risks: drastic dwindling of practitioners, erosion of traditional knowledge, and loss of living heritage integral to Syria’s cultural identity.

UNESCO emphasizes the urgent need for protection—supporting transmission, training of young artisans, documentation, and provision of resources for workshops—to ensure the survival of this unique artisanal tradition for future generations.

Title:

Content: OIC conference to discuss the development of youth, sports

Hissein Brahim Taha. (Twitter @oicarabic)
Short Url
Updated 04 September 2022

OIC conference to discuss the development of youth, sports

  • The conference will discuss the commitment of member states to implementing OIC strategies on youth and developing sports to promote joint Islamic action in these two fields

JEDDAH: A conference to discuss the development of youth and sports is being held in Jeddah on Wednesday.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, together with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Sports, is holding the fifth session of the Islamic Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers under the slogan "Development of Youth and Sports for a Solidarity-based Ummah.”

The three-day forum will discuss the situation of young people in OIC member states and the importance the OIC and its relevant bodies attach to developing youth and sports.

It also seeks to enhance the capabilities of young people and advance their role in development to pave the way for stability, progress, and prosperity, combat the extremist and violent ideas propagated by terrorist organizations, and encourage dialogue, moderation, tolerance, and respect for others.

The conference will discuss the commitment of member states to implementing OIC strategies on youth and developing sports to promote joint Islamic action in these two fields.

It will also review the efforts made by member states and OIC bodies working in the fields of youth and sports, led by the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and the Women Development Organization.

On the celebration of OIC Youth Day on Sept. 3, the body's secretary-general, Hissein Brahim Taha, extended his sincere congratulations and blessings to all young men and women in the Islamic world. He singled out the Palestinian youth who lived under the Israeli occupation and the youth who lived in conflict zones in other member states.

He said OIC Youth Day was an affirmation of the centrality of youth issues in the body's priorities and an opportunity to commend the contributions of young people in improving the world and highlighting their essential role in development, building and strengthening peace and dialogue, and combating extremism and terrorism in member states.

Taha called on member states and the international community to join efforts to enhance the role of young men and women in development so they were effective partners in advancing the global economic and social situation.

Saudi cuisine takes over Paris gastronomy festival

Updated 05 September 2022

Saudi cuisine takes over Paris gastronomy festival

  • We have 7 pavilions for Saudi Arabia to indicate all the regions and diversity of our cultural offerings, says Mayada Badr

PARIS:  If you think that Saudi Arabia’s cuisine is only famous for kabsa, think again, and the Eiffel Tower is a witness!

Paris hosted one of the biggest gourmet events this weekend, which took place from Sept. 1-4.

The fifth edition of the International Gastronomy Village offered four days of conviviality with popular cuisines and cultures from over 50 countries. This year, Michelin-starred chef Guy Savoy sponsored the village.

All this is very familiar to the CEO of the Saudi Culinary Arts Commission, Mayada Badr, who took part in 2016 as a chef.

“I realized the impact of how just sharing a meal with someone can change the perception of a country through gastronomy. It honestly is such amazing soft power,” she told Arab News.

At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the Kingdom set up seven pavilions, making it one of the largest participants at the event — welcoming visitors to witness live cooking sessions, enjoy traditional music and shows, and taste authentic dishes and Saudi coffee.

“We have seven pavilions for Saudi Arabia to indicate all the regions and diversity of our cultural offerings,” said Badr, adding that one can experience all five regional Saudi coffees with a variety of dates.

She highlighted that 2022 has been dedicated as “The Year of Saudi Coffee” by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Culture.

Next to the coffee pavilion, there was an area dedicated to dates that offered date-based desserts such as qishd and mehalla.

Two pavilions were devoted to Saudi dates, helping to introduce festival goers to the Kingdom’s rich heritage and highlight the large variety of dates that grow in the country.

Badr said people assume that Saudi Arabia is all desert, but after visiting the pavilions, they understand that the Kingdom has coffee farms and grows mangoes and bananas.

As well as a craftsmanship pavilion, there are culinary tents with the flavorsome aroma of jarish, banana mutabbaq, mandi and veggie markouk.

The Saudi chefs offered traditional mouthwatering dishes that you can find in Saudi homes, hence bringing a part of the Kingdom to the very heart of Paris.

When asked about jarish, Chef Carly told one visitor: “It is a traditional Saudi grandma’s dish. It is similar to risotto in a way, but instead of rice, we use cracked wheat. It can either be done with chicken or with tomatoes for a vegetarian option.”

After a good meal, it was time for some sweets. In another pavilion, chef Omar Mulla was busy preparing Saudi Arabia’s most loved luqaimat, magshush and masoub.

While preparing freshly made sweets, he told Arab News that luqaimat, which translates into small bites, are fried little dumplings with sugar syrup and cardamom, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

Masoub is a famous sweet dish in the Hijaz, made from sajj bread, banana, honey and ashta. Maghough comes from Hail, where it is made with bread and date molasses.

When asked about future projects, Badr said there was a memorandum of understanding signed with Le Cordon Bleu to open a culinary school in Riyadh soon.

Saudi Arabia’s Misk silkscreen micro-residency etches pure emotion on print

Updated 04 September 2022

Saudi Arabia’s Misk silkscreen micro-residency etches pure emotion on print

  • The month-long intensive program has seen six residents fully immersed in the contemporary art of silkscreen printing

RIYADH: Misk Art Institute’s latest art residency showcase brought together a variety of culture vultures to experience a wave of emotions — from inner demons to journeys of self-exploration — through silkscreen prints.

The residency, a month-long intensive program that took place at the Masaha art hub throughout August, saw six residents fully immersed in the contemporary art of silkscreen printing, supervised by an expert team of in-house printmakers.

The residents brought their own unique ideas to life, from the curatorial phase to the production phase through access to the institute’s screen-printing facilities and individual studio spaces.

“The residency was great. The printing methods helped me to deliver the message more prominently and more easily. I think that we achieved a lot in a one-month residency,” resident and film photographer Haitham Alsharif told Arab News.

His work further explored the conversation of self-awareness, coping mechanisms, and contemporary social pressures. The vulnerability issues his generation faces in their daily lives act as an influence on his work, focusing on creating a printed representation of various expectations and criticisms such as the pressure of marriage or wearing labels.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The micro-residency was organized to bring together artists from various disciplines to experience this delicate but immersive technique, gain a deeper appreciation for silkscreen printing and showcasing their work to the Saudi community.

• The art residency comes after three cycles of three-month intensive programs, the Masaha Residencies, which have featured artists from all over the world coming to Riyadh to develop their craft and explore their designated themes.

“In photography, I think printing is an essential way of showcasing a photo, but using different colors and different formats of printing, it can add another layer of creativity so you can deliver that message in a more creative, attractive, and prominent way,” he said.

By contrast, fellow resident Shatha Altumihi explored the inner pressures that one creates within themselves. Her work, an audience favorite, centers around characters that individuals can morph into in the process of expressing themselves emotionally by dealing with their inner demons.

“I decided to choose this subject because I often feel misunderstood. I’ve gone through certain experiences so I wanted to visualize that in a funky and visually pleasing way so that people don’t feel that these emotions are negative or that monsters are a bad thing,” she told Arab News.

Altumihi has used this opportunity to delve into silkscreen printing to further enhance her graphic design and illustration background. She’s used various techniques, such as bitmap photoshop effects, to bring texture and vividness to her artworks.

Resident Mohammad Fattal brought an emotional display to the halls of Masaha. His pieces, printed on draped sheer fabric, represent our relationship with abandoned or old buildings.

Photographs of torn-down places and homes shed light on the emotions we endure when we leave precious memories behind, either willingly or forcefully. On a personal level, it’s an ode to his home country, Syria.

“I haven’t been to Syria since the war, so when I saw these scenes of torn down buildings, I got the feeling, even if they weren’t real, of how I would feel if I saw this in my country, in places that are dear to my heart,” Fattal told Arab News.

As a digital photographer, he tested the contrasting reactions to his digital photos with physically printed works, playing around with fabrics and textured paper.

“It gives you a different feeling, and that’s what I wanted to transfer from my personality to things that are more artistic, not just photography. I’ve found that in printing in a beautiful way… with every print or try, we get a new artwork,” he said.

The micro-residency was organized to bring together artists from various disciplines to experience this delicate but immersive technique, gain a deeper appreciation for silkscreen printing and showcasing their work to the Saudi community.

The art residency comes after three cycles of three-month intensive programs, the Masaha Residencies, which have featured artists from all over the world coming to Riyadh to develop their craft and explore their designated themes.

The showcase will be running until Sept. 8 at Misk’s Masaha space, open to the public daily from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Saudi Arabia sends 211 students on cultural scholarships

Since its launch, the scholarship program has benefitted 683 students: 443 women and 240 men. (SPA)
Updated 04 September 2022

Saudi Arabia sends 211 students on cultural scholarships

  • Ministry of Culture’s scholarship program aims to prepare Saudis to meet labor market needs

RIYADH: The Ministry of Culture is sending 211 students on scholarships to international higher education institutions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Cultural Scholarship Program, supervised by the ministry, intends to prepare Saudis to meet the labor market’s need for qualified and talented nationals specializing in the arts and culture sectors.

It is the first program of its kind in the Kingdom and covers tuition fees and all study costs of the participating students.

This latest group of students — comprising 133 women and 78 men — is the seventh since the program first launched in December 2019. Among the students, 123 are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs, 83 in master’s degree programs and the remaining five in Ph.D. programs.

The students’ specializations cover food and science technology, theater, music, heritage and archeology, fashion design, libraries and museums, filmmaking, visual arts, literature and linguistics, architecture, culinary arts and design.

HIGHLIGHT

This latest group of students — comprising 133 women and 78 men — is the seventh since the program first launched in December 2019. Among the students, 123 are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs, 83 in master’s degree programs and the remaining five in Ph.D. programs.

They will attend institutes and universities including Culinary Arts Academy, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Culinary Institute of America, University of the Arts London, Pratt Institute, Manchester School of Architecture, Virginia Commonwealth University, Australian National University, Indiana University Bloomington, University of Edinburgh and Durham University.

The majority of the students will continue their educational journey in the US, which will host 115 students, followed by the UK (56 students), Switzerland (20 students) and Australia (10 students). Egypt and France will each host two students, while the three remaining students will be divided between Italy, Singapore and South Korea.

Since its launch, the scholarship program has benefitted 683 students: 443 women and 240 men. Students studying for their bachelor’s degree composed the highest share of the program with 384 students, followed by those studying for a master’s degree (291 students) and a Ph.D. (eight students).

The Cultural Scholarship Program is distinguished by its comprehensiveness and specializations diversity in cultural and artistic fields. The selected students will benefit from financial coverage for tuition fees, living expenses for both themselves and their companions, health care, travel tickets, as well as follow-up and evaluation guidance programs.

Content creator’s food videos fill gap in the Saudi market

Raneen Joudah started her social media journey by making simple food vlogs of delicious home-cooked meals. (Supplied)
Updated 04 September 2022

Content creator’s food videos fill gap in the Saudi market

  • “I am a content creator who cooks food and shoots at the same time. Before, people viewed me as a housewife who cooks, but now I elevated my content by cinematography,” Joudah told Arab News

RIYADH: Food content creators on social media have stepped up their game by posting cinematically shot food pictures and videos to create a tempting and glossy gallery of images.

One of them is Jeddah-based Raneen Joudah, a housewife and a digital creator with 305,000 followers on Instagram, 33,000 on Tiktok, and 350,000 on Snapchat. She also has 172,000 YouTube subscribers.

Joudah started her social media journey by making simple food vlogs of delicious home-cooked meals but decided to take things up a notch when she realized there was a lack of creative, professional, and informative content.

“I am a content creator who cooks food and shoots at the same time. Before, people viewed me as a housewife who cooks, but now I elevated my content by cinematography,” Joudah told Arab News.

She offers tips and tricks for baking, and ideas for children’s lunchboxes, sweets, spreads, and salads. Her Instagram shows a range of recipes, mostly covering the Arab and Mediterranean regions.

HIGHLIGHT

Raneen Joudah offers tips and tricks for baking, and ideas for children’s lunchboxes, sweets, spreads, and salads. Her Instagram shows a range of recipes, mostly covering the Arab and Mediterranean regions. She also shares proper cooking techniques and the science of food in her perfectly shot and aesthetically appealing videos.

As a content creator, Joudah shares more than just recipes. She also shares proper cooking techniques and the science of food in her perfectly shot and aesthetically appealing videos.

Simple recipe videos take around six hours comprising cooking, filming, and editing, but a creatively shot video can take anywhere from three to seven days of work, which includes building the creative concept, shooting, and editing.

“Creating content as in production with a certain style of cinematography is something that we lack on social media and I like that I'm filling the gap here.

“The market lacks content creating production, and in Saudi Arabia, we don’t have a middle ground. You either find an immature cinematographer or pay so much for a professional production company, so I established a creative production house and named it Creative Table that’s going to be launched soon.”

Joudah believed that Creative Table, a location to shoot and produce content, bridged the gap between big production houses and small solo videographers working on creative campaigns.

She said all social media platforms could work together to create a brand.

“I use Snapchat as a curtain raiser of the recipe video that I, later on, post the professional content on Instagram. Snapchat is a good engagement tool to get people excited and communicate with the audience, and having more than one platform like Snapchat, Instagram, and now, Tiktok all serve together.”

Joudah preferred Snapchat because she could be herself more and be close to people.

“Snapchat people can see the behind-the-scenes most of the time, so they know the effort and appreciate it.”

She also thought working on social media was better than opening a restaurant.

“Many people advised me to open a restaurant since I’m a food content creator. However, opening a restaurant is my last priority, and I won’t open one under my name because I don't like to link my name to a place, and everything that may go wrong in the restaurant can reflect on my name.”

Saudi Arabia’s Mawhiba reviews success of research programs at European Council for High Ability

The workshop helps outstanding students enroll at leading institutions in the US. (Twitter: @mawhiba)
Updated 04 September 2022

Saudi Arabia’s Mawhiba reviews success of research programs at European Council for High Ability

  • The conference, held in the Netherlands, was attended by more than 800 people from 15 countries

RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) reviewed its successful experience in research programs at the 18th European Council for High Ability between Aug. 31 and Sept. 3.

The ECHA seeks to create communication opportunities for teachers, researchers, psychologists, and parents and enhance the exchange of information among people engaged in this field.

The conference, held in the Netherlands, was attended by more than 800 people from 15 countries.

Three Mawhiba students, Abdulrahman Al-Fheid, Rafif Hubani, and Hanin Al-Tamar, participated and exchanged ideas, expertise, and culture with people from other countries.

The director general of the Excellence Center, Khalid Al-Sharif, reviewed a paper that discussed the steps Mawhiba had adopted to increase the quality of student research and how these had helped the body win 22 awards at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and a Mawhiba student receive an award for being the best researcher in the world.

Al-Sharif went over Mawhiba’s efforts in caring for talented youth and its approach to offering research programs.

The conference saw the participation of specialists from the US, Europe, and Africa. There were scientific papers, workshops, and lectures on areas including innovative educational practices, supporting talent development, self-development, the necessity of engaging every educated person, considering student opinions, and creating new norms to invest in talent.

Recently, Mawhiba launched its second training workshop this year to prepare 200 secondary school students for admission to top US universities.

The seven-day workshop is part of Mawhiba’s Excellence Program, which helps outstanding students enroll at leading institutions in the US. The students receive career guidance, counseling, and intensive courses on academic writing.

The listing seeks to catalyze national and global action to preserve the craft as a symbol of Syrian resilience and creativity.

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This concise overview provides the history, cultural import, current precarious status, and global urgency of safeguarding traditional Syrian glassblowing, especially as concentrated in Damascus.

It is suitable for use as background in your workshop introduction.

Here’s a synthesized report summarizing key points relevant to an introduction for the Syrian glassblower, using nuggets of information from the provided extracts and context on Syrian glassblowing:

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**Syrian Glassblowing: Tradition, Heritage, and Preservation**

**Historical Significance:**
Traditional glassblowing in Syria, especially centered in Damascus, is one of the world's oldest glassmaking traditions, with a history that traces back over two millennia.

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Content: Shamaili Chulpan Sharifullina and Alfiya Iskhakova – on glass, on canvas and paper
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Today, the exhibition “Shamaili Chulpan Sharifullina and Alfiya Iskhakova ” has started its work in the Museum of Islamic Culture.
The exhibition introduces the work of two masters involved in the art of traditional shamail.
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Syria is widely recognized as the birthplace of glassblowing in the 1st century BCE, a revolutionary technical innovation that allowed artisans to shape molten glass using blowpipes.

Title:

Content: Izhora Culture Centre in Vistino: from mittens to pottery
Participants of the project “From a needlewoman to a manufacturer of souvenirs ”, organized by the non-profit organization“ Planet of Good ” from p.
Siversky, visited the Museum of Izhora Culture in the village of Vistino, Kingisepp district.
The purpose of the trip was to get acquainted with the deeds and fruits of the hands of the masters of the Soykin Peninsula.
Category: Culture
Within the framework of the project “From needlework to the manufacturer of souvenirs ”, lectures, master classes in needlework and field classes are held.
The main goal of the project is the production of high-quality souvenir products for guests of the Leningrad region and, in particular, the Gatchina district.
One of these outbound classes was a trip of the project participants to the Soykin Peninsula, to the village of Vistino, where a unique ethnographic complex is located - the Museum of Izhora Culture.
The participants of the project got acquainted with the way of life and life of the indigenous peoples of the Soykin region, with the Izhora master knitters, visited the pottery workshop.
But the main topic of the lesson was a kind of master class on turning their own products into sought-after souvenirs by tourists and locals.
Features of national tourism on the Soykin Peninsula
On the way to the village of Vistino, the project participants listened to a small lecture on the ways to develop the tourism industry in the current realities.
The tourism industry is currently actively focused on domestic tourism, and it, like any other type of tourism, has many components - from logistics and services to the purchase of local products, in particular, souvenirs.
And in this sense, the trip to the Soykin Peninsula was very important.
Izhora Museum is known not only for its wonderful local lore exposition, but also for the fact that it is a launching pad for the development of creativity and folk crafts.
According to the staff of the museum, it is with the history of cultural heritage that any initiative aimed at the future can begin.
The Soykin Peninsula is located more than a hundred kilometers west of St. Petersburg.
The indigenous inhabitants of the peninsula are representatives of the Finno-Ugric Izhora people.
Here you can still hear the Izhora speech, the famous Izhora singing, join the national traditions of this people.
The village of Vistino is considered a kind of unofficial Izhora capital of our days.
It is here, on the border of two villages - Vistino and Ruchya, that the ethnographic museum of the history and life of the Izhora people is located.
According to the director of the Izhora Museum Elena Kostrova, it was formed in 1993, in the former building of the primary school.
In 2015, a young creative team came to the museum, and life in the whole district literally turned around.
- In fact, we are not museum workers by profession, we all have different education, - says Elena Kostrova. - I am by profession - a director, our master potter Dmitry Tkachev - a teacher, a teacher of art, drawing and technology.
Our guide Nikita Dyachkov is a culturologist who has Izhora roots and knows Izhora language.
We do all this with our own hands and work.
For five years, the sponsor watched the actions of our team, only then offered his help.
We had to develop one of the directions – pottery, which once flourished here in the Yamburg district, on the territory of the village of Big Aspiration.
The sponsors helped us build a pottery center.
In 2020, the governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko, came to open it, who twisted his first plate here with his own hand.
There will never be support for nothing, and no one will notice you.
You have to do something first...
Land of fishermen and needlewomen
Currently, the museum space in the village of Vistino includes two wooden buildings.
In one of them there is an ethnographic museum with an attic for classes and conferences.
In another building, the Izhora Language and Skills Center is located.
The main exposition is located in two halls on the first floor of the museum building.
The participants of the Gatchina project got acquainted with the history and culture of Izhora, traditions of local life and way of life, folk crafts and crafts.
All the exhibits were produced in different ways.
Most of them were brought by people from their homes, and some were found in burial grounds, which are enough on the Soykin Peninsula.
The age of some archaeological finds is hundreds and thousands of years.
A significant place in the exhibition is occupied by items related to marine fishing, which is not surprising: for Izhora it was the most important fishery for more than one hundred years.
- Almost all the idols were engaged in fishing, - says Elena Kostrova. - Here were strong dynasties, fishermen for a long time went to the sea.
They lived in boardhouses, women gave birth to children there, and all the Izhortsy therefore were strong, healthy, tall, strong.
By the way, on the Soykin Peninsula at one time flourished well-known throughout the country fishing collective farm "Baltika", which in recent years, unfortunately, fell into decline.
While men were fishing, women were engaged in housework and needlework.
On the Soykin Peninsula, oats, flax and some other crops were grown.
The museum presents samples of linen products with a unique ornamental embroidery, made in red and blue colors.
How an ordinary mitten became a regional souvenir
Particular attention of the participants of the Gatchina project was attracted by the stand with a collection of mittens with a variety of ornaments, each of which has its own history and meaning.
As Elena Kostrova said, ornamental knitting is another iconic tradition of the Soykin Peninsula.
- Everyone kept sheep here, everyone knitted, - says Elena Ivanovna. - Mittens and socks were made of coarse wool - warm and prickly.
Women preserved and transmitted the memory of the traditional Izhora ornaments, the variety of which is represented on these mittens.
Once these ornaments were a kind of language: for example, from the ornament of the mittens it was possible to find out from which family the daughter-in-law came.
Izhora Museum is a participant of the large-scale project “Villaväki – Woolen People ”, which is aimed at preserving and developing traditional occupations of the indigenous peoples of the Leningrad region, related to the processing of wool and the manufacture of clothing, toys and household items made of wool.
In Vistino, a program for the revival of traditional ornaments and knitting mittens "Ornaments Izhora Soykinsky Krai" has been implemented for several years.
- At first, we had only five old ornaments and three participants in the project, - says Elena Kostrova. - In fact, we carried out the reconstruction of these ornaments.
To date, we have more than thirty women who have become good, strong masters themselves.
They knit at home, go to fairs and sell their products.
By the way, the largest fair on the territory of the museum is the festival of Izhora culture, which takes place in July.
Many of the Izhora masters are already under ninety years old.
They not only knit socks and mittens, but also work to preserve the unique culture of ancient peoples, creating on the basis of museum samples of traditional knitting copies of Finnish, water, Izhora objects.
Some of them work, as they say, “from the Sokha ”.
So, for example, the participant of the project Valentina Vasilyevna herself breeds and grows sheep, sheds them, processes wool, spins it on a real spinning wheel, and then knits wonderful mittens.
The participants of the Gatchina project were pleased to meet Valentina Vasilyevna, who held a small master class on spinning wool for them.
The librarian of the Kobrin school Anna Surina has a special interest in this process.
- My grandmother constantly spun dog and sheep wool, - she says. - Now I have a dream to learn how to spin with a spindle and a spinning wheel.
I've already started buying equipment and got Angora rabbits.
Currently, souvenirs from natural materials - wood and wool are in great demand.
The master in the pottery
Near the Center of Izhora Language and Craftsmanship, under glass caps are samples of ceramics made in the Soyka pottery workshop.
In the workshop itself, work is constantly boiling - potter Dmitry Tkachev works here.
Pottery production has always been an integral part of the traditional culture of the Izhora people.
The main production of this fishery was in the village of Big Aspiration, where by the beginning of the XX century there were about a hundred workshops.
In 2014, the Izhora Museum began research and practical work to revive the pottery of the Soykin region.
Unfortunately, the culture of burning the Great Aspiration is lost today, and there are practically no masters left.
Dmitry Tkachev is engaged in the reconstruction of pottery, not only preserving the forms of traditional pottery, which have reached us, but also recreating them literally from archaeological fragments.
There is only one departure from traditional fishing: the improvement of clay processing technology.
Products of the workshop "Soyka" can be seen at the exhibition of ceramics of gas firing and at the stands of the photo exhibition "Graphics".
At the same time, on the territory of the Izhora Museum, programs are being implemented to teach children and young people pottery and the Izhora language.
What unites us
Gatchina craftsmen were greatly impressed by what they saw in the Center of Izhora Culture.
Someone gathered new ideas and began to better understand how to establish their own production of souvenir products.
Someone was pleased with the scale of Soikin residents, whose activities have long been of serious interest to tourist structures - even despite the difficulties of travel to this remote corner of the region.
- A very interesting museum, - says the head of the Kartashevsky patchwork club "Sudarushki" Anna Gradovich. - What we have seen is in Russian culture, and at the same time we see some differences.
Something we take from the ijor, something they take from us.
It is very important now to talk about the different nationalities of Russia, about what unites us, not divides us.
It is important to bring our cultures together.
This is what happens when we communicate, when we listen to each other, delving into the culture, traditions and history of each nation – albeit through needlework.
In general, the topic itself - "From needlewomen to souvenir manufacturers" - is very interesting and promising.
Women in our club are creative, but sometimes we do not understand how to apply, to realize our skills and talents.
We sew for ourselves, have already supplied our products to all relatives and friends.
But the person still reaches for creativity and continues to do something.
Our project helps us to think creatively and understand where and how to apply our creativity, how to sell our products, which can be in demand in our cultural centers, museums, at holidays...
Julia Lysanyuk

Early Syrian glass products, ranging from functional containers to ornate vessels, were prized throughout the Roman Empire, and ancient shards continue to be a testament to Syrian mastery of the craft.

Title:

Content: The project "Light and color" is implemented in Tyumen
12: 34 01 October 2022
The project "Light and Color" of the Tyumen regional public association "Guild of Masters" won a presidential grant in the amount of 460 thousand rubles.
They will be sent for the purchase of equipment and materials for the creation of stained glass products.
These are glass cutters, glass breakers, breakers, soldering irons, grinding machine, foil smoothers.
This Tyumen line was reported by the chairman of the "Guild of masters" Inna Gaiduk.
Within the framework of the project, 48 master classes will be held, their participants will be more than 60 young residents of the region from 11 to 14 years old.
"For the students of the Gymnasium of Russian Culture, we hold master classes, where we create pendants, mirrors, panels, lamps in stained glass technology, including elements of the flora and fauna of the Tyumen region," Inna added.
She explained that at first the guys cut out the details from the glass, then they are polished to fit to a given template, wrapped with foil and soldered.
It all depends on the complexity and size of the products.
Hangers on the curtain 10-15 cm children are made in two classes.
If there are a lot of elements, time takes longer.
For example, a peacock, where there are a lot of details.
Glass products are bought by local residents, as well as connoisseurs from Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Tags: project
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News archive
November, 2022

**Cultural Importance:**
Syrian glassblowing isn’t just a technique—it’s an expressive art deeply embedded in the country’s cultural identity.

The craft characteristically involves hand-blowing recycled glass, producing unique colors and organic forms, adorned with intricate patterns and shapes.

Techniques are traditionally passed down through generations, and the glowing furnaces and rhythmic breath of glassblowers have long been part of the distinctive sounds and sights in Damascus' artisanal quarters.

**Current Status and Urgency:**
Today, Syrian glassblowing faces significant peril.

Title:

Content: News section
The “fourth dimension ” of Vitaly Skobeev: what will be the transitional age of mankind
In the gallery "Dom-Art" opened an exposition of philosophical paintings of Kazan painter Vitaly Skobeev.
The work of the Honored Artist of Tatarstan has always been distinguished by a particularly close interest in mythology, biblical subjects and religions of different peoples.
Working in the style of symbolism, he seeks to combine all the best created in the most diverse areas of human life.
It brings to the fore the philosophical questions that every person is asked at a certain period of life.
This is evidenced by the names of his paintings - "The Creation of Man", "The Birth of the Soul", "The Tree of Life".
More details in the material "Real time".
Tips from the past and the future are not for everyone
Vitaly Skobeev combined in this exhibition works from different series - "Annunciation", "Mythology", "Teachers" and "Tablets of Space", adding to the already known, exhibited paintings and new, which, in fact, lead to the theme of the exhibition - "The Fourth Dimension".
The meaning of the name is that the three-dimensional, regardless of our will and desire, gradually disappears.
In fact, only those who expand and change their creation will be able to enter the future, and the events of recent years confirm this.
For a long time I had planned to make an exhibition, but like many, the pandemic broke our plans.
Perhaps now the time has come, ” said Vitaly Skobeev.
According to esotericists, now the development of mankind has come to the point where it is necessary to make a choice: the old world or the new era.
We end our lives in the third dimension, that is, in the material world, in order to move into the fifth, truly spiritual, with different values and aspirations.
Why not the fourth?
Because it is impossible to make such a leap in one leap, a transitional period is required, that is, a gradual change.
Thus, the theme of the exhibition can be interpreted both as “the transitional age of mankind ”, and as clues in the way from the sages of the past, and the future spiritual beauty that will open to a person if he is able to take this step.
Reasoning, of course, difficult, but so far the ideas of the artist can simply be felt, having come, to be silent near his paintings.
Fathers and children
Vitaly Skobeev was born in the family of the famous artist and socialist realist Valery Nikolaevich Skobeev, a graduate of the Kazan Art College named after Nikolai Feshin and the Leningrad Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture named after Ilya Repin.
The young painter studied in the traditions of the academic art system, but did not remain within the framework of the realistic direction, preferring his own individual style and author ’ s artistic style.
At one point, a conflict between fathers and children was brewing in the family, but seeing how contemporaries evaluate the work of his son, Valery Nikolaevich retreated and even began to help him.
My father always told me that the basis of everything is harmony, in it beauty, through which you can influence people.
Look, harmony is everywhere – in music and architecture, even mathematicians appreciate a beautiful formula or theory.
If we talk about my art, it is at the junction of esotericism, religion and science.
And look - now all these spheres seem to unite, returning to their origins.
Physicists, for example, make discoveries that were once written in the Vedas, the artist reflects.
All at the right time
It is difficult for Vitaly Skobeev to say how much time it takes to create one work.
Sometimes, pictures are written quickly, sometimes you have to postpone work, because the final idea is not “crystallized ”, you need to take a pause“ to think ”:
First, a general idea comes to me, then, starting to work, I begin to fill it with details.
Look at the picture "Tree of Life" - I have collected an image of this symbol from all nationalities of different times and beliefs.
They are like bricks of a common tree, similar to a castle or fortress.
Its roots go to infinity, and upwards it tends to the sky, the highest mind, the purest energy.
The artist in the broad sense of the word, like the great scientist, is often associated with something mystical.
It unites us.
Remember, Beethoven said that the music comes to him in a finished form, he only writes it down, Mendeleev his table at all dreamed.
Perhaps we are guides, at least we should strive for this.
The higher forces see everything and give us something only at the right moment.
As they say, “The teacher comes when the student is ready. ”
Delayed Journey and Teachers
It is interesting that the artist himself has not yet managed to go on a pilgrimage to Nepal or live in an ashram in India - he postponed everything, and now it is difficult to plan at all.
And you have to constantly think about the daily bread.
“I see a special meaning in self-restraint, I find pleasure in a certain maximalism.
Like everyone else, I find a compromise between the material and the spiritual.
Ask and it will be given to you, as they say in the Bible, ” admitted Vitaly Skobeev.
In his knowledge and creativity, Vitaly Skobeev also relies on great teachers, who often act as heroes of his paintings.
Pythagoras and Diogenes, Paul Florensky and Helena Blavatsky, the Roerichs and Sri Aurobindo - their teachings slide through the entire vernissage, they are dedicated, in particular, to the cycle "Teachers".
The connection of the upper world and the earthly world, according to the artist, is carried out through the Messengers, who, in accordance with the plan of the Universe, are sent to people throughout the history of mankind to convey the sacred knowledge of Eternity.
The series includes works dedicated to Plato, Diogenes, Confucius, Buddha, the Old Testament prophet Moses, Leonardo da Vinci and others.
Myths and space
The cycle "Mythology" includes works on mythological subjects of various peoples and world cultures: Ancient Greece, Egypt, India, myths and legends of the Middle Ages.
According to the author, myths of all times and peoples have a common origin and are the key to knowledge about life.
The paintings of the cycle, for example, “Adam and Eve ”,“ Orpheus and Eurydice ”, “The Death of Atlantis ”,“ The Swan and Leda ” touch upon the issues of the creation of the world and the origin of mankind, themes that are the leitmotif of the entire creativity of Vitaly Skobeev.
The cycle of the “Tablets of Cosmos ” contains a metaphorical understanding of those laws and postulates that were sent and sent to humanity in different forms and types, the laws by which the entire outer space is arranged and by which humanity must live and develop.
The paintings of this cycle have a single compositional solution - in the upper part of the canvas, cosmogonic projects, the work of the Cosmos are depicted, and below - the course of earthly evolution, the stages of human development, the embodiment of the "Global Plan" about it.
Update for Easter
On Friday, the exhibition held a re-exposition, and the whole first floor was occupied by the cycle "Blagovest".
This was done specifically for the celebration of Orthodox Easter.
Traditionally, the word "gospel" is called the ringing of a large church bell, announcing the beginning of worship.
The theme of the outgoing life, folk customs and patriarchal order will remind the viewer of the eternal spiritual values accumulated by our ancestors, values, preserving which, a person is able to cultivate purity and spirituality in himself.
The works of this cycle - "Life-Being", "Spring Equinox", "Apple Saved", "Sacred Spring" immerse the viewer in the original world of folk life, its traditional way of life.
The exhibition runs until May 3.
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Anna Tarletskaya, photo by Rinat Nazmetdinov
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The number of skilled craftsmen has diminished dramatically due to factors such as industrialization, economic hardship, globalization, and, most recently, the devastation wrought by conflict and instability.

Workshops and glass furnaces—many family-run and centuries old—have been shuttered, and the communal knowledge and techniques risk fading from memory.

Estimates suggest only a handful of practitioners remain, with much of the market overtaken by factory-made or imported glass.

**UNESCO’s Recognition and Reasons for Safeguarding:**
Recognizing this urgent situation, UNESCO has inscribed “The craft skills and knowledge of handmade glassmaking in Damascus” on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

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Content: Within the framework of the new project of the International Mugham Center "Azerbaijani Mugham", master classes "Ustad dərsi" dedicated to the performing art of playing the container are continuing.
Another lesson of the famous tarist and teacher Elkhan Muzaffarov was dedicated to mugham "Nava", which is performed extremely rarely and is known to a few music connoisseurs, is one of the little-studied and forgotten mugams, reports Day.Az.
The master noted that despite the fact that the mugham "Nava" is included in the curriculum, there are a small number of performers who know this mugham with accuracy.
Among the performers of "Nava" can be noted the names of outstanding performers Akhmed Bakikhanov, Bahram Mansurov, as well as performers of our time Vamig Mammadaliyev and Sabukha Jafarov.
This mugham is on the list of complex mugams.
The master also mentioned that in addition to originality during instrumental performance, mugham "Nava" has originality and during the performance of his hanende, also requires extensive experience in musical skill.
Elkhan Muzaffarov informed the participants about the differences of mugham "Nava" from other mugams and noted that it arose as a result of the merger of several mugams, includes "Dashti" and "Bayaty-Kurd" and has a more ancient history than dastgah "Shur".
During the session, which was remembered by interesting and informative discussions and analysis of mugham participants and the technique of their execution, problems regarding gaps in the teaching of mugham dastgah were touched upon, as well as sections "Nava", transitions between sections and additional tones were discussed.
The purpose of the project is to preserve and pass on to future generations of the Azerbaijani school of classical performance, to preserve the tradition of "mentor-pupil".
In the master classes, which will be held regularly throughout the year, it is planned to participate prominent representatives of the performing arts on the container.
Participation in the master classes is free and anyone can take part in them.
Information support - Trend.Az, Day.Az, Milli.Az
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Inclusion on this list is reserved for traditions at imminent risk of disappearing without immediate support.

UNESCO acknowledges the craft’s historic and cultural significance, its unique artistry, and its tight-knit intergenerational transmission.

Preservation is seen as crucial for ensuring that this heritage does not vanish but, instead, continues—adapting to new times while honoring its ancient legacy.

Title:

Content: I found an error
Main news:
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Samara -5 ° C, Togliatti -4 ° C
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USD 87.65
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In Russia came into force a new law on folk art crafts
January 17, 2024 14: 03
190
Its main advantage is that the status of masters of folk art crafts can now be obtained by self-employed, and not only individual entrepreneurs or large factories.
In Russia, a new law on folk art crafts came into force.
Now masters can choose the appropriate tax regime, and the authorities will provide them with systemic support.
What other innovations are fixed in this document, will tell Anna Shuster, writes Watch.
The house of Victoria and Leonid Chernovs has long been compared with a museum.
In 1988, they got into Gzhel by distribution after graduating from the Krasnoyarsk Art Institute.
At first, they worked in a production association, then opened their own individual entrepreneurs – they became individual entrepreneurs, then they received the status of self-employed.
When there are only two masters in production, it is much more profitable.
Income tax is only 4%, in addition, self-employed are exempt from insurance premiums.
But the artistic value of their products self-employed masters could not prove, the expert art council could not certify their works.
Until in December, a new law on folk arts and crafts was issued.
The status of masters of folk art crafts can now be obtained by self-employed, not only individual entrepreneurs or large factories.
Here, in the Union of Gzhel Masters, this was expected for several years, because 90% of the members of the union are self-employed.
"Now the artist, a natural person, in the status of self-employed can also pass the art expert council and get the status already legally - the status of" Master of folk art craft ", - comments the representative of the Union of Gzhel masters Valentin Rozanov.
In the 1980s, Valentin Rozanov worked as the chief artist of the Gzhel production association.
He has seen nine of the 16 local ceramics factories shut down over the past two decades, and the number of workers in the porcelain factory has dropped from 1,500 to 100.
The only way to survive and preserve the craft traditions was the opening of home workshops.
This is the way the Kashtanovs went.
Moreover, Nikolai himself built a kiln for firing with a temperature of 900 degrees and a slicker-mixer for the preparation of porcelain mass.
Here it is stirred at a constant speed of 320 revolutions per hour – otherwise air bubbles will appear – and is cleaned.
It is important that the new law on folk arts and crafts fixed the concept of "model model product of folk arts and crafts" and fixed the main directions of state support for masters.
Industry experts consider this extremely important, and propose to go even further - to introduce an additional article of state financing - for the technical re-equipment of production.
“We use stoves in almost all industries, and replacing these old stoves with new ones will reduce energy costs by almost three times, ” says Gennady Drozhzhin, Chairman of the Board of the Association of Folk Artistic Crafts of Russia.
Even for the preservation and development of folk crafts, the Association considers it important to develop sales markets and cultural tourism, because it is one thing to buy a ready-made thing in the store, another thing - on an excursion in the workshop to witness the birth of an art object and make sure that the gods do not burn the pots.
Photo: pxhere.com

Protecting this craft means supporting living links to history, regional identity, and artistic diversity, and offers Syrian communities a sense of continuity and pride.

---

This context will help you deliver an informative and heartfelt introduction, highlighting both the prestige and the precariousness of traditional Syrian glassblowing for your audience.

**Summary: Traditional Glassblowing in Syria – History, Importance, and UNESCO Urgency**

**Historical Context:**
- Damascus has been an ancient center for artisanal crafts, with glassblowing being one of the oldest and most renowned Syrian industries.

Title:

Content: (Hakawati) Drama of the beautiful time and nice Ramadan evenings
Damascus-Sana
The image presented to us by the visual space through its channels, which compete strongly for the premiere of its dramas in Ramadan, is only a natural evolution of an art that began more than a hundred years ago, based on the story, using the efforts of one hero, the storyteller, how did the art of storytelling begin?
RAMADAN NIGHTS
A storyteller, storyteller, storyteller or storyteller, by definition, is a person who has been a storyteller in homes, shops and cafes, who used to crowd around people in the past, not only telling the story in constant interaction with his audience, but motivated by enthusiasm to embody the role of the character that he tells about with movement and voice.
Hakawati is a profession that relied on one character, the character of the storyteller, she possessed her own treasure of diversity and difference, and she roams the psychological character in all respects and depends on the extension and prolongation of the story so that it turns into a night series that can cover the days of the month of Ramadan.
Folk cafes are a theater for storytellers
With his voice and image, Hakawati is the alonis of the Ramadan evenings, telling stories of heroism and manhood in front of a group of people in the popular cafes. Mohammed Khair Kilani, who for thirty years embodied the role of Hakawati in the Ramadan evenings of Homs, showed that the popular cafes were the center of Hakawati and his stories were linked to the holy month. She, they follow attentively his movements and his interaction with the storytelling and sometimes embodying the role of her characters.
Al-Hakawati is a character, according to Kilani, was once considered a means of collective entertainment and education for the real and fictional stories of heroism and the promotion of moral values and positive behaviors, pointing to the most famous tales known (Antara, Al-Zir Salem, Al-Himma, and Strange Beni Hilal) and others.
The origin of the folk tale
The East was the source of popular tales, as most studies and researches in the field of the history of the emergence of the folk tale, and the opinions differ between those who consider the Arab East the source of the tale and its origin as the Babylonians, Assyrians and Pharaohs, and between Persia and India is the origin of the tale, and then moved from it to Mesopotamia according to the book of the popular tale between the past and the present by Mustafa Muhammad Ali Mystic.
The popular tale was known in the Arab heritage early on, as the books of Tabari, Isfahani, Masoudi, Ibn Kathir and others gathered many of these tales, which were known in the pre-Islamic era and what followed, mixed with the traditions and news of kings, as well as what was deposited in the collective memory of old news and facts.
It was formed in the beginnings in the public circles did not take care of anyone of the private, except as a kind of nice Asmar, and in the second century AH accounted for the interest of news and poets and writers, especially in the Abbasid era where translated Ibn al-Maqba book (Kalila and Damna) and increased interest in the third and fourth centuries, and mentioned historian Hamza Esfahani that it was in his era of books of the brown hands circulation Of the seventy books, books on the Hadiths of Sinbad and the Snail and the Mouse also appeared during the period when there was a wide discussion about the introduction of the tales of One Thousand and One Nights into the Arab heritage.
It ’ s a job that doesn ’ t die in Damascus.
In 1990, Rasheed al-Hakawati al-Damascene revived the profession of Hakawati at the coffee shop (al-Nawfra) at the request of the owner of the coffee shop Abu Saleh al-Rabat grandfather and the heads of religious rituals, where they decided to serve it after the Maghreb prayer until the Isha ’ an to be served in Ramadan after the Taraweeh prayer.
Hakawati Al-Sham Rashid Al-Hallaq started the art of Hakawati for the intangible cultural heritage since 1990 and continued until 2014 at the Nofra Café and was presenting stories that combine lessons and awareness, where he dealt with the story of the apparent King Bebars, Antra bin Shadad Al-Absi and many others.
On this subject, Shadi Alhallaq, Jr., spoke in a statement to SANA correspondent, saying that the tourist delegations had a permanent stop in the cafe to attend the Hakawati and take commemorative pictures with him, pointing to the works of his father Rashid, which exceeded the Syrian borders, where he participated in the Jerash Festival in Jordan in 1992 and until 1995 on the theater of sound and light. Hump, participated with the UNESCO Committee of the Medleheart Project for the Protection of the Heritage of the Mediterranean Countries in 2010.
Shadi the barber deepened his father ’ s career and began searching for the mythical and historical stories loved by the audience of storytellers from Syrian cafes and collected handwritten books and restored them as the story of One Thousand and One Nights and the sword of the son of Yazan. The French Institute for Middle Eastern Studies printed the story of the apparent king Bebars with the help of his father to explain some words and their meanings.
The son of the barber pointed to the heritage treasure that he found during the search operations, which was written in a coded language, which he discovered that it is a tent of Karkouz and preachers of Syria, where his father explained to him how to present and make them of leather, colors, ways of moving and the names of the pieces and their recipes to present the first presentation of shadow fiction in the presence of a group of shadow fiction.
Shadi Alhallaq practiced this profession with the art of Hakawati until it was classified by UNESCO on the list of urgent conservation in cooperation with the Syrian Secretariat for Development and provided a workshop to teach 22 students to make shadow and animation and teach them the basics of the profession and traditional craft.
Hereditary career:
Shadi went on to turn the Hakawati profession into a continuous work project for him and his children, pointing out that it is his profession that he loves and he continued in it after the death of his father in 2014 and continued the journey of Hakawati Al-Sham with the shadow imagination and currently his children learn this art.
Jawad bin Rashid, the oldest barber, has performed shadow fiction since he was nine years old at Qasr al-Azm Theater in the festival of (grandparents to grandchildren) and now he is 10 years old has more than 40 shadow fiction shows, the youngest of them and helps his father manufacture pieces and make presentations.
Eight-year-old Rashid is also learning the profession of storyteller and shadow fiction, and five-year-old Jad is driven by his passion for shadow fiction, which he drinks from his family, to provide dialogues at home and for the family.
Hakawati is a comprehensive artist:
Hakawati Ammar Jarrah says in a statement to SANA correspondent: The character of Hakawati is a historical figure known from the immaterial heritage inherited from generation to generation, and he has been working in this field since 2000 and every year of the month of Ramadan appears in this character to protect it from extinction, like the shadow imagination (Karkouz and Ewaz), and the world fund to remain in memory.
Al-Jarrah pointed out that he is working on developing it to suit the people ’ s desire through his presence with his audience in traditional restaurants and cafes, choosing local stories that carry humor and interest to the public in addition to the presence of an oriental takht to play music, and the presentation of the Mesharati segment.
Tarek Ali, one of the listeners of the storytellers, said that the choice of the presence of storytellers for the folklore stories and the stories of his heroes revives the beautiful times, where he catches their eyes with the tone of his voice, which rises and falls in harmony with the course of events and the enthusiasm contained in his story.
Lawyer Rana Bakbashi found in the character of Hakawati a return to the revival of the immaterial heritage, and to create an atmosphere of love and harmony, and a little away from the pressures of life in addition to attracting the young generation to listen to the championships of Antra and Abu Zaid al-Hilali and learn the values of chivalry and Arab ethics.
Economic and Heritage Project
Hakawati is not only a profession, but the details of the owner of the profession carry with it a growing economic importance in the Syrian society, starting from the clothes of Hakawati, which includes a dark red cowl on the head and a bra made of hand looms and long Shami pants. The zenar is a roll of Damasco fabric, Damasco brocade, in addition to a shawl on the shoulders of silk and an Arabic jacket called Damer. The silk belly is as black as the trousers are black and the storytellers sit in the public cafes on a chair that represents the work of the hands of the Damascene craftsmen of carved wood and mosaic restaurant with seashells.
These details represent traditional heritage crafts bearing the distinctive Syrian character of Damascene brocade, Aghbani mosaic, engraving and engraving on wood and shells, explained by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Syrian Development Society Ramal Saleh, indicating that this heritage has become a development project for many Syrian families through the project (Orient House for Heritage) launched by the Society with the support of the Syrian Trust for Development, which includes 13 artisans. Zain, whose workshops were destroyed by the terrorist war on Syria, was collected in an old Arab house with an area of about 750 meters, and provided them with production tools and requirements to preserve the cultural and cultural heritage and their production is present in external and local exhibitions.
Saleh pointed out that the Aghbani industry is also one of the most important projects of the Association, which was established at the end of 2017, which brings together women affected by the war in Douma city in Damascus countryside, where it started with four women to include 450 women within four years.
As for the Damascus brocade, Saleh pointed out that it is one of the finest and most luxurious fabrics in the world, as it is woven from natural silk threads extracted from silkworm cocoons, a luxurious fabric woven on the hand loom and added to it golden and silver threads. Damascus is known as the incubator of this industry, which is one of the oldest Syrian industries.
Saleh added that the Damascene brocade reflects the culture, nature and history of the region through the drawings called princesses or Damascene cloth and its threads woven the most beautiful paintings and prints such as the lover and the mahshooq, Salahuddin, Romeo, Juliet, Damascus rose and Damascus jasmine. The brocade is expensive because of the difficulty of extracting natural silk and the presence of silver and gold threads inside.
Saleh said that Damascus included several factories for the production of Damascus brocade, the most famous of which was the Naasan factory for handicrafts near Bab Sharqi. The importance of Naasan Palace with the factory lies in the fact that its founder is one of the mosaic and brocade artists, the young Georges Naasan, who built the factory in 1720 in Bab Sharqi to pour his leadership in the mosaic school itself.
Muhasen Awad - Rasham Mahrez - Tamam Al-Hassan - Alaa Al-Shehabi
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Look, too.
The storytellers...
An authentic Ramadan heritage

- The country is world-famous for “Syrian glass”, with traditions believed to date back over 2,000 years.

Ancient sources suggest the first man-made glass objects were created in this region, and Syrian craftspeople are credited with significant innovations, such as the blowpipe, in glass production.

- Over centuries, Syrian glassblowing developed unique forms, colors, and decorations, rooted in both functional and artistic needs.

The technique was traditionally passed down through family or apprentice-based workshops.

Title:

Content: The last of the princesses.
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
© Sputnik.
Mohammad DamourShamsa Bilal, the last of the princesses..
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
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Shamsa Bilal leads the hall of Khan Asaad Pasha, an old and different woman, nestled inside her head with soft, colorful silk threads that weave them and pass through them traces of those who were here before.
Sixty years ago, these silk threads wrapped themselves as soon as they were touched by Anamel Shamsa, who stands today to plunge into her memories and come out opening a hole in the wall of the souls of twelve women sitting in front of her, imparting the secrets of the captivating “silk cricket ” profession that seeped into their souls.
Mrs. Shamsa is now the last professional of the Silk Screen..
This description stores a human journey that appears among the silk strands of Syrian history for thousands of years, and the colors of its strands store a personal life story with all its sweetness and bitterness.
© Sputnik.
Mohammad DamourShamsa Bilal, the last of the princesses..
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
The last of the princesses.
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
As a princess and guardian of history, Shamsa sits on the throne of Syrian silk, but this dramatic picture is not without tragic glimpses. Today, she stands on the doorsteps of her castle as the last pure dynasties do, lest her throne be transformed into the ruins of the future.
Afaf al-Nabwani, a plastic artist and member of the National Association for the Development of Tourism in Syria, was the author of the idea, as he drew her attention through the internal tourism tours held by the association to produce silk in the city of Hama, specifically the craft of “Sarr al-Qaz ”, which means binding silk threads produced by the silkworm, a craft that is dying in Syria.
© Sputnik.
Mohammad DamourShamsa Bilal, the last of the princesses..
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
The last of the princesses.
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
Al-Nabwani told Sputnik that Sarr Al-Qaz is an ancient Syrian craft, where it was made of silkworm silk Hamwi folklore, and this silk was spread throughout the Syrian geography, and its workers produced more than 72 different types, and the city of Palmyra was a center for the production of silk, which was distributed to the countries of the world through the famous Silk Road. Its high durability and health benefits, ancient producers called it "second skin" because of its health benefits, especially for people with skin allergies.
“During my visit to the city of Hama, I met Mrs. Shamsa Bilal, who is the last person to practice the craft of Sarr Al-Qaz, and I came to the need to preserve this craft from extinction and thus cooperate with Mrs. Shamsa to teach the profession of Sarr Al-Qaz to a number of trainees wishing to learn it. ”
© Sputnik.
Mohammad DamourShamsa Bilal, the last of the princesses..
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
The last of the princesses.
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
As for the education course of Sarr Al-Qaz, which is hosted by one of Syria ’ s most prominent heritage landmarks, Khan Asad Pasha, Al-Nabwani revealed that all 12 trainees are interested in silk and aware of its value and have pre-hand skills in dealing with these materials.
On the other hand, the artist Afaf al-Nabwani talked about the role of silk in supporting the Syrian economy, pointing out that if more attention is paid to the production and manufacture of silk will be one of the most important tributaries of the local economy. In the past, silk was traded for gold. C among them.
© Sputnik.
Mohammad DamourShamsa Bilal, the last of the princesses..
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
The last of the princesses.
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
Mrs. Shamsa Bilal, the last practitioner of silk sorting, sits at her table, carrying her eighty years with all her experiences and memories, linking her with twelve trainees and linking silk threads together, to weave a new generation of enthusiasts to practice this ancient profession and keep it from disappearing.
The smile on Ms. Shamsa ’ s face reveals how happy she is to be among the trainees and how responsive they are to her, “I teach the ladies here this ancient craft so that it doesn ’ t go extinct, and I ’ m thrilled to see them hand-knit silk threads of all colors and shapes, ” she said.
© Sputnik.
Mohammad DamourShamsa Bilal, the last of the princesses..
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
The last of the princesses.
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
The octogenarian woman recalls when she learned this profession at the hands of her mother-in-law and worked in it 60 years ago, when every bride in the city prepared a silk dress in her "apparatus", that is, the bride 's clothes after marriage, and the women gathered to make it. Some of them were in charge of tying silk threads and forming it into pieces of cloth, and others were tailoring and sewing. It enables employees to live a comfortable life.
© Sputnik.
Mohammad DamourShamsa Bilal, the last of the princesses..
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
The last of the princesses.
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
The participants in the Sarr Al-Qaz course had their opinion regarding this ancient craft, where the artist Alissa Sharabiya, a graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts, confirmed that she wants to practice the profession of silk production because it is a Syrian heritage and learning it is an important gain for those who are proud of the heritage of his country.
Sharabiya was not the only one to be proud of her love of ancient Syrian heritage, as artist Jelnar Hamdan, who is also a graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts, pointed out that the profession of sorghuz is a dying profession and it is up to us as new generations to preserve it because it is our heritage.
© Sputnik.
Mohammad DamourShamsa Bilal, the last of the princesses..
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
The last of the princesses.
Syrian eighties flirted with the “silk palace ” for 60 years
Twelve Syrian women are proud of their country ’ s heritage and identity, taking it upon themselves to preserve this heritage and pass it on to future generations who will preserve it and the identity of a country that has always been proud of its children.
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- Noted centers in Damascus produced signature items: colored, enameled, and gilded glassware known for delicate artistry and intricate designs.

Title:

Content: Iranian calligraphy and gilding arts attend workshops and group exhibition in Damascus
Damascus-Sana
The workshops in the arts of Arabic calligraphy and gilding, in which four Iranian artists and a group of Syrian artists and calligraphers participate, opened windows for dialogue and exchange of experiences and to learn about the peculiarities of these arts in the two countries.
The workshops, which came in cooperation with the House of Arabic Calligraphy and Arts Association, were accompanied by an exhibition entitled Iranian artistic touches at the Iranian Cultural Center, which included about 40 paintings in calligraphy, gilding and miniature with the participation of the Iranian calligrapher Abdollahzadeh and Iranian decorators Leyla Azimi, Zahra Khaleghi and Zahra Shaqlani.
On the exhibition, the decorative artist Shaqlani, specialized in the art of miniature, said in a statement to SANA that the exhibition provided an opportunity to introduce the Iranian calligraphy and decoration arts to the artists and the public in Syria and exchange experiences that will reflect on the work of the participants in the future.
In turn, the plastic artist Reem Qabtan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the House of Arabic Calligraphy and Arts, explained that the event is a consolidation of dialogue and cultural exchange between the two friendly countries and participants to learn new knowledge in the arts of calligraphy, gilding, decoration and miniature.
For his part, the calligrapher Adham Jaafari, who participated in the workshop, pointed out that the event provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge between Iranian and Syrian calligraphers, especially in the arts of gilding paintings and the steps of their implementation, especially for young artists, considering that such realistic events are important for all artists to achieve real communication between them.
The calligrapher Ahmad Swar, who participated in the workshop, pointed out that the event allowed to learn about the methods of implementing the Iranian calligraphy and minawatars, especially the Nastaliq calligraphy, stressing that such joint events with Iranian artists are important and should continue to exchange experiences among artists specialized in Arabic calligraphy.
The two young artists Nour Najiba and Maisa Aldagr expressed their pleasure to participate in the workshop, where the participants gained new artistic and technical knowledge in the art of gilding, while learning about the secrets of the art of miniature in painting with gouache and acrylic techniques, as well as the visual and artistic pleasure presented by the works of the exhibition.
Mostafa Madah Nazari, the artistic official at the Cultural Center of Iran, explained that Iranian art is about a thousand years old and its inscriptions were taken from the Sassanid era, which blended with Islamic arts and influenced them in terms of aesthetics and documentation of narratives, especially Arafani, describing the effectiveness as a bridge of communication between the two friendly peoples to create artistic cooperation.
The workshop will continue until the end of the week at the Dummar Museum of Modern Art in cooperation with the Directorate of Fine Arts within the activities of the celebration of the Syrian formation days held by the Ministry of Culture.
Mohammad Samir Tahan
Follow SANA news on Telegram https: / / t.me / SyrianArabNewsAgency

**Cultural Significance:**
- The craft is more than a profession; it represents Syrian identity, urban aesthetics, and communal heritage.

Title:

Content: Dummar Incubator for Heritage Crafts is the first development project to protect the Syrian heritage from extinction and maintain its continuity, and provides the right conditions for professionals to innovate, develop ideas and access heritage products with creative ideas.
Khobar Code: 576992
Publication date: 27 September 2021
The incubator is the product of an idea that is part of an integrated scientific research entitled "Syrian heritage between the heritage of the past and the challenges of the present", a research that won the Syrian Innovation Award for 2014, and was invested by the General Federation of Craft Associations with interest and support from the central leadership of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party.
He pointed out that the incubator consists of several departments, including the Assad Academy of Craft Arts, in addition to workshops for craftsmen, a cultural center, an exhibition hall, and a commercial center whose mission is to promote and market the craft product in local and foreign markets.
He complained that the incubator provides support for small projects.
The Director of Dummar Incubator for Traditional Crafts said that the incubator ’ s work is based on providing the possibility of gathering various “kar sheikhs ” and craftsmen in one place, which leads to the generation of new ideas through this convergence and convergence and access to new projects.
On the objectives of the incubator, he stressed that "it aims to establish branches in all the province and friendly countries as the basis for the development of small projects."
In turn, Nabil Karkutli, who specializes in alternative energy, pointed out that the objectives of the presence of his craft in the incubator aims to qualify cadres to make alternatives to imports to face the Caesar law as well as recycling materials, in addition to the production of alternative energy devices, especially solar energy.
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Artisanal glass products – from pitchers to lamps and vases – have decorated Syrian homes and public spaces for generations.

- The continued practice of glassblowing is deeply tied to Damascus’s image as a hub for exquisite taste and creativity.

The city’s artisans are celebrated for their craftsmanship, and their work often features in markets, festivals, and as exports shaping perceptions of Syrian culture.

- Traditional crafts, in general, foster social cohesion, intergenerational ties, and a sense of belonging by connecting present-day Syrians with their historical roots.

Title:

Content: Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
A picture.
© Sputnik.
Hani AlmahasnehChildren make matroshka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
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EXCLUSIVE
The colors of the Russian heritage were born with the life planned by young Anamel, in a painting that reflected the spirit of teamwork, in support of children with special needs in Syria, whose dreams and hopes were almost crushed by the scourge of the terrorist war.
Arab, Russian, Armenian and Circassian children flocked to the "Sherton Damascus" hotel to show what their hands and minds produced in front of the visitors of the "Russian Bazaar", and transfer its proceeds to associations of people with special needs in Syria.
The bazaar set up by the Russian Cultural Center in Damascus, in cooperation with the Goodwill Ambassador for Children, Rama Zreik, and her team "Voluntary Giving", and with the participation of the Russian band "Skazka", took the Russian heritage as a humanitarian address to support the neediest segments in Syria, according to the director of the center, Mikhail Sukhov, told Sputnik.
He added: “Through the event, we are working to integrate children with special needs, unleash their childhood in the coloring of creative and creative handicrafts and wonderful colors, introduce the Russian heritage, and work to spread the authentic Russian culture in Syria. ”
Dr. Rama Zreik, Goodwill Ambassador and Head of the Voluntary Giving Team, told Sputnik: “The bazaar is the second step in a systematic event developed in cooperation with the Russian Cultural Center, and we have already held a workshop for handicraft industry, which highlights the Russian culture and the authenticity of its civilization. ”
© Sputnik.
Hani AlmahasnehChildren make matroshka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Children make matruchka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
“During the workshop, which was held with the participation of Armenian and Circassian associations and Russian and Syrian children, we liked to share drawing on some handicrafts such as spoons, matryoshka and other symbols of Russian culture, before we present them today in the bazaar, which was attended by the Russian Deputy Ambassador in Damascus. ”
© Sputnik.
Hani AlmahasnehChildren make matroshka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Children make matruchka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
“The main objective of the workshop is to spread Russian culture in a friendly country, and to emphasize the Syrian-Russian partnership, not only on the political side, but we have to be partners in civilization, culture and noble human ideals, ” she said.
“Our message is that humanitarian action and human civilization are the strongest link between peoples and are stronger than the wars that are imposed on us. ”
© Sputnik.
Hani AlmahasnehChildren make matroshka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Children make matruchka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
The goodwill ambassador pointed out that "the proceeds of the bazaar will go to charities, within an agreement with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor."
Syria and Russia...
Cultural analogy.
Aya Shehadeh, Director of Public Relations at the Russian Cultural Center in Damascus, said: “Since the opening of the Russian center five years ago, it has met a great demand from Syrians to learn about the culture of Russia, learn its language and learn about the activities offered by the center. ”
© Sputnik.
Hani AlmahasnehChildren make matroshka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Children make matruchka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Shehadeh explained in her interview to "Sputnik", saying: "We started a training workshop for children to introduce them to Russian folklore, and the workshop included the presentation of a documentary film for the participants, who exceeded 100 children, in order to introduce them to the methods of manufacturing Russian wooden art pieces, matryoshka and ways to color and decorate them."
“After that, we asked the children to make similar pieces and let their childhood fantasies be unleashed and the result was beautiful shapes and colors that we didn ’ t expect. ”
© Sputnik.
Hani AlmahasnehChildren make matroshka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Children make matruchka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Shehadeh pointed out that "the center is cooperating with Syrian charities, especially those concerned with children with special needs."
The Director of Public Relations at the Russian Cultural Center noted "the similarity of social life in the Russian Federation and the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as many civilizational participants," stressing that "the Syrian and Russian peoples share bonds of love and affection."
© Sputnik.
Hani AlmahasnehChildren make matroshka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Children make matruchka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Matryoshka and Blalaika
Sariya Assaad, one of the participants in the event, told Sputnik: “Born in Syria from a Russian mother, I am participating today in the bazaar to spread Russian culture and heritage through the display of matryoshka, wooden spoons, balayka and some products bearing Russian blue motifs. ”
“The blue color in the Russian motifs symbolizes strength and courage, and is the color of sky and water, and these motifs vary between plant, animal and geometric colored in different colors starting from traditional roots, ” she explained.
© Sputnik.
Hani AlmahasnehChildren make matroshka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Children make matruchka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
For his part, Hani Al-Asali, one of the activists in the volunteer team for people with motor disabilities, said: “Today we are in the Russian bazaar to display works that included children with special needs to enhance their confidence in their ability and their similarity with their peers and share with them beautiful handicrafts of Russian heritage. ”
© Sputnik.
Hani AlmahasnehChildren make matroshka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Children make matruchka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Al-Asali expressed his happiness with the participation of the Russian Embassy in Damascus in this event, represented by the Russian Deputy Ambassador.
Adonis Nasra, 12, a participant in the bazaar, told Sputnik: “I worked on the Matryoshka, a famous Russian doll designed in the form of a traditional lady in village clothes, with an oval shape divided into two detachable halves and containing 3-5 identical smaller pieces inside. ”
© Sputnik.
Hani AlmahasnehChildren make matroshka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
Children make matruchka and balalaika in support of humanitarian activities in Syria
“This doll embodies an aspect of Russian heritage and was first made in 1890. ”
Bishr Zahra, a child participating in the workshop (10 years), expressed his happiness to participate in the bazaar through two wooden exhibits.
© Sputnik.
Hani Almahasneh
Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
1 / 6.
Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
© Sputnik.
Hani Almahasneh
Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
© Sputnik.
Hani Almahasneh
Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
© Sputnik.
Hani Almahasneh
Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
© Sputnik.
Hani Almahasneh
Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
© Sputnik.
Hani Almahasneh
Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
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Children make matryoshka and balayka in support of humanitarian activities in Syria.
His father, Ayman Zahra, a manager at a private bank, said: “I came to see the works of my children participating in the workshop, and the works were very wonderful and creative. ”
For their part, visitors to the bazaar praised the nice wooden exhibits and the accompanying Russian musical and heritage performances, expressing their desire to learn more about the culture and heritage of Russia, a friendly and loving country, and the need for their contribution to this humanitarian work.
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**Current Status and Challenges:**
- Traditional Syrian glassblowing, like other handicrafts, faces severe decline due to modern market pressures, conflict, and the influx of mass-produced goods.

- The number of master craftsmen practicing traditional techniques has dramatically fallen.

In some crafts, as with Sarr Al-Qaz (a silk-related craft), only one practitioner remains, signaling similar peril for glassblowing.

- Organizations and cultural incubators (such as the Dummar Incubator for Heritage Crafts) are stepping in, trying to recruit young people and revive interest, but these efforts struggle against daunting odds—modern tastes, economic hardship, and the devastation of heritage sites and workshops due to the Syrian conflict.

**Why UNESCO Intervention Was Urgent:**
- In 2023, UNESCO placed Syrian glassblowing on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

- The reasons: rapid loss of master craftsmen, endangered transmission of skills, and destruction of traditional workshops.

Without intervention, there’s the real risk of losing distinctive centuries-old methods and the associated cultural narrative.

- UNESCO emphasizes documentation, teaching, and community-driven efforts as vital to preserve the craft—not only as a source of income, but as a repository of Syrian collective memory and creative ingenuity.

**Conclusion:**
Syrian glassblowing embodies the history, resilience, and artistry of its people.

Its survival relies on protected spaces for learning, sharing, and creating—making the work of today’s artisans and their advocates critical, and the recognition by organizations like UNESCO more important than ever.

There is no relevant information about Syrian glassblowing or Damascus glass in the provided text extracts.

Title:

Content: Community Co-Organizing Workshop Grassroots Can Handmade Sugar Dolls
May 05, 2024 11: 11
Eastern Network Television
More News Clips
The participants made the candy doll by hand.
Blowing sugar has a history of more than 600 years and is now included in Hong Kong ’ s intangible cultural heritage.
After blowing, pinching, pulling and cutting the hands of the artist, the sugar of the hand is transformed into a variety of animals, and the shape is beautiful.
Bumping artist Du Wun went to one of the Hong Kong Association of Community Organisations (HKCGA) ’ s venues in Sham Shui Po from Cheung Chau to demonstrate and teach this traditional folk craft to more than a dozen participants of the Bumping Workshop.
Participants are all from the underprivileged community at the grassroots level. For the first time, they came into close contact with intangible cultural heritage. In addition to watching Master Fu Dai-hsien ’ s skills, they also had the opportunity to make a candy doll by themselves.
Master Tu first kneaded the sugar into a tube. One side of the tube let the participants blow, and the other side began to expand. Master Tu took the opportunity to demonstrate the kneading into different shapes, and the participants learned various skills of blowing sugar.
Yuen Shu-yin, Director of Community Organisations of the HKCSS, said that the grassroots are not happy or experiencing a downturn in their daily life, and their current living conditions are not very good. She hoped that the activities would bring them happiness and enhance their understanding of the heritage.
She described the workshop as a special experience for the underprivileged. Although the first product may not be beautiful, they felt very happy when they showed it.
Du Shifu recalled that he was also a disadvantaged community. When he was young, his family moved to Hong Kong, and lived in subdivided housing when he first came to Hong Kong.
Some people have never seen blowing sugar, and even their mother-in-law, who is 70 or 80 years old, has never seen blowing sugar, and when they see making it, they become a child.
Seeing them happy in the process, they are now able to help others and feel happy.
The Blowing Sugar Workshop is one of the projects funded under the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office Non-genetic Subsidy Scheme of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The main objective of the Subsidy Scheme is to enhance public awareness and understanding of non-genetic items and to support inheritance.
As of the end of last year, 124 projects have been funded under the Scheme, covering research and publication, public programmes and educational promotion activities, inheritance training courses, festive festivals and so on.
Assistant Curator II of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the LCSD, Mr Wong Kang-yu, pointed out that there are 480 items on the Non-Legacy List in Hong Kong. Through the Non-Legacy Subsidy Scheme, the Department hopes to use a variety of activities and models to promote non-Legacy to people from all walks of life, such as people with disabilities, students and ethnic minorities.

Please provide extracts pertaining to traditional Syrian glassblowing, its history, cultural significance, current status, or UNESCO listing, and I will summarize them accordingly.

Title:

Content: People 's Network > > International
Chinese National Dance at the Saudi International Mountain Art Festival
January 22, 2024, 19: 40 | Source: Xinhua Network
Small number
Xinhua News Agency, RIYADH, January 22 (Reporter Wang Haizhou Hu Guan) On the afternoon of the 21st, dancers from the Chinese performance team, dressed in various ethnic costumes, appeared in the third Saudi Quimam International Mountain Performance Arts Festival, and successfully completed the first dance performance of the festival, winning the praise of the Saudi people and the international performance team.
The International Mountain Performing Arts Festival kicked off on the 20th in the Asir region in southwest Saudi Arabia, with a total of 25 international performing groups and 20 Saudi local performing groups participating, including China.
Teachers and students of the dance performance department of the Shanghai Academy of Film Arts were invited to participate in the festival on behalf of Chinese performance groups, and prepared 14 dances with Chinese national characteristics for the festival, showing China's excellent traditional culture.
Deng Yijun, a student of performance, said: "When I saw foreign friends shouting 'China' excitedly during the parade, I felt a strong sense of pride.
"I am proud of China's rich and colorful national culture, and deeply realize that art is a bridge between different cultures and helps promote mutual understanding, communication and integration among people around the world," he said.
Sultan Al Bazi, CEO of the Saudi Council for Theatre and Performing Arts, welcomed the arrival of the Chinese performance team and said that the festival has set up eight unique performance venues in combination with the mountainous terrain of the Asir region, which is larger than last year.
The festival, sponsored by the Theater and Performing Arts Committee of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, will feature hundreds of performances on the theme of mountainous areas in various historical and cultural villages and archaeological sites in the region.
The series runs until January 27.
The reporter learned from the Saudi Committee for Theatre and Performing Arts that there are cultural experience activities, handicraft shops, traditional clothing exhibitions, local food trucks, etc., in various exhibition venues, aiming to provide a full range of services for tourists.
Currently, the Qimam International Mountain Performing Arts Festival is an annual event organized by the Saudi Council for the Dramatic and Performing Arts in the Asir region, aiming to introduce the various performing arts and cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia and the world to local communities, expatriates and tourists, encourage international cultural exchange, and create jobs for local talent.
(Editor: Cui Yue, Liu Hui)
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