Glassblowing originated in Syria during the 1st century BC, with Syrian craftsmen in cities like Sidon, Aleppo, Hama, and Palmyra pioneering the technique, which has remained largely unchanged to this day.

The craft evolved significantly in Damascus, where artisans incorporated painting and decoration techniques using oxides, thermal colors, and other materials to create intricate designs on glass objects such as lanterns and mishkats, reflecting the city's rich cultural heritage.

Syrian glassblowing is deeply intertwined with cultural narratives that emphasize its historical roots and artistic significance, as it is a craft passed down through generations and considered a vital part of Syrian heritage dating back over two thousand years to the Phoenicians.

The Levant region, including Syria, has historically been a hub for cultural exchange, as evidenced by the spread of Syrian glassblowing techniques to other parts of the Mediterranean, such as Lebanon and Egypt, where early glass-blowing technology enabled mass production and influenced local practices, highlighting Syria's role in fostering regional trade and artistic innovation.

Syrian traditional glassblowing is distinguished by its use of recycled glass, which is melted at high temperatures and shaped into various artistic forms such as hookah bottles, vases, and decorative items, with artisans employing manual techniques to blow, rotate, and process the glass into its final shape before adding intricate decorations and colors for aesthetic appeal.

The tools employed in Syrian glassblowing include hollow blow poles for shaping molten glass and manual engraving machines for intricate designs, with artisans sourcing materials like recycled glass locally, reflecting the craft's sustainable practices and deep connection to the region's resources.

Despite its cultural significance, traditional glassblowing in Syria faces challenges due to the economic and social impacts of war, leading to a decline in the number of active craftsmen and threatening the survival of this heritage, prompting efforts to revive and sustain the craft through exhibitions and training programs for younger generations.

The number of traditional glassblowers currently practicing in Damascus has significantly declined, with many craftsmen migrating or switching professions due to economic challenges and the lack of market demand for handmade glass products, as reported by the Damascus Craftsmen’s Union and other sources on traditional crafts in Syria.

Traditional glassblowers in Damascus face challenges such as high production costs, limited access to raw materials, and the absence of government support, compounded by the migration of skilled artisans and the decline in external demand for heritage products due to disrupted trade relations.

The craft is further endangered by the lack of interest among younger generations, who are deterred by the low profitability and limited career prospects associated with traditional glassblowing, threatening the continuity of this cultural heritage.

The ongoing conflict in Syria has exacerbated the decline of glassblowing by disrupting markets, damaging infrastructure, and displacing artisans, although some craftsmen, like Yassin Arab in Aleppo, have worked to revive the craft in liberated areas using recycled materials and traditional techniques.

UNESCO recognized traditional Syrian glassblowing as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding in December 2023, emphasizing its historical significance and the threat posed by modern challenges to preserving this ancient craft practiced for over two millennia.

UNESCO included Syrian glassblowing in its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in December 2023 due to the decline in practitioners and the impact of war, emphasizing the need to preserve this ancient craft as a vital part of Syria's cultural identity and heritage.

UNESCO’s designation of Syrian glassblowing as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding highlights the craft’s historical significance, dating back over two thousand years to the Phoenicians, and its role as a vital cultural tradition in Syria’s identity and heritage.

The inclusion underscores the urgent need to protect this craft, which has been severely impacted by war and economic challenges, threatening the survival of the artisans and the transmission of their skills to future generations.

UNESCO’s recognition aims to preserve the traditional techniques and cultural practices surrounding Syrian glassblowing, ensuring its continuity as a living heritage and fostering international awareness of its cultural value.

To support preservation efforts, UNESCO has emphasized the importance of training younger generations in traditional crafts and has collaborated with local organizations to provide financial grants and workshops aimed at reviving and sustaining these heritage practices.

Efforts to preserve and promote Syrian glassblowing include its recognition by UNESCO in December 2023 as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding, highlighting the craft's historical significance dating back over two thousand years to the Phoenicians.

Workshops, demonstrations, and educational programs play a crucial role in preserving Syrian glassblowing by training younger generations to master the craft, as highlighted in exhibitions like the one in Aleppo, which aim to revive traditional handicrafts and ensure their continuity through skill development and financial support for artisans.

Educational initiatives, such as workshops conducted in Sviyazhsk, demonstrate the effectiveness of hands-on training and public engagement in preserving glassblowing techniques, with activities like demonstration workshops and master classes helping to sustain the craft and its cultural significance.

Syrian glassblowers traditionally pass down their craft through familial apprenticeship, as exemplified by artisans like Yassin Arab and Hussein Najjar, who learned the art from their fathers and have practiced it for decades, ensuring the preservation of this ancient heritage through hands-on training and personal dedication to the craft's aesthetic and technical aspects.

Challenges in transmitting the knowledge of glassblowing include the economic and social impacts of war, which have disrupted livelihoods, caused migration, and reduced the number of active craftsmen, as well as the lack of institutional support and the high costs of production materials and energy, which threaten the sustainability of this heritage craft.

Efforts to preserve the craft face additional hurdles, such as limited interest among younger generations and insufficient training programs, with some artisans advocating for integrating traditional crafts into school curricula to foster early engagement and ensure continuity of this cultural legacy.

The craft is celebrated not only for its technical artistry but also for its role in preserving Syrian identity, as intangible heritage like glassblowing connects the past to the present and serves as a testament to the resilience of Syrian culture amidst challenges such as war and globalization.

Syria views its intangible heritage, including glassblowing, as a vital link between its past, present, and future, serving as a means to assert its cultural authenticity and resist the erasure of identity in the face of modern challenges such as globalization and cultural homogenization.

Efforts to revive traditional crafts like glassblowing, such as exhibitions and training programs, are seen as crucial for preserving Syria's heritage and fostering cultural pride, with artisans like Yassin Arab and Hussein Najjar exemplifying the dedication to sustaining this ancient art form despite economic and social hardships.

The decline of such crafts also impacts global artisanal diversity, as Syrian glassblowing represents unique techniques and aesthetics that contribute to the richness of international heritage, with UNESCO emphasizing its urgent need for preservation to prevent the erosion of this intangible cultural legacy.

Artist co-ops and international organizations can collaborate to support endangered crafts like Syrian glassblowing by organizing joint exhibitions and workshops that promote cultural exchange and skill-sharing, as demonstrated by the exhibition in Aleppo featuring Syrian and Russian artisans, which aimed to revive traditional crafts and train younger generations to preserve them.

Glassblowing originated in Syria during the 1st century BC, with Syrian craftsmen in cities like Sidon, Aleppo, Hama, and Palmyra pioneering the technique, which has remained largely unchanged to this day.

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Content: Bella Hadid flashes her toned figure in shorts and a cropped sports top while showing off her creative side as she learns the art of glassblowing

It appears Bella Hadid has found a new hobby that showcases her artistic side.

On Sunday, the catwalk queen took to her Instagram page and posted a step-by-step video of herself making her own glass piece, using classic glassblowing technique in a workshop.

Considering the extreme temperatures it takes to make glass from beginning to end, Bella opted to keep her cloths to a minimum and wore skimpy white shorts with a cropped purple sports top.

Showing her creative side: Bella Hadid, 25, learned the classic art of glassblowing to make her own glass piece and posting a video on her Instagram page on Sunday

Glass is made from the process of heating sand to an extremely high temperature so that it turns into a moldable liquid. When it solidifies, a piece of glass is formed in whatever shape the creator has molded it into.

In the video, viewers will find Bella at the stage where she's working to shape the molten red hot material.

She can be seen sitting down and jabbing a long, sharp wrench-like tool with her scorching hot material, which was attached to a hollow blow pole about three feet long.

She was concerned with safety and wore goggles to protect her eyes.

Shaping: The video shows Bella at the stage where she's working to shape the molten red hot material that is attached to a blow pole

Working it: An instructor can be heard voicing a couple of tips as she spins that object around to the point where a small hole begins to form

Dose of heat: By the end of the first clip, Bella gets up and gives the hot material another dose of intense heat by placing it into a fiery furnace

An instructor can be heard voicing a couple of tips as she spins that object round and round to the point where a small hole begins to form.

By the end of the first clip, Bella gets up and gives the hot material another dose of intense heat by placing it into the fiery furnace.

For the next phase, the instructor assists Bella and slowly spins the blow pole while she sands down the still-molten red piece with two black blocks.

The heat is so intense that you can see steam floating into the air as they continue the sanding-down process.

Honing it: For the next phase, the instructor assists Bella and slowly spins the blow pole while she sands down the still molten red piece with two black blocks

Team work: Bella and the instructor work together to begin molding the molten hot object into shape with those two black blocks

Trippy: Bella gave her 53.7 million Instagram fans and followers a look at how her glass piece is looking at this stage of the process

More intense heat: At one point, the Washington, DC, native can be seen kneeling down using a small propane tank to heat up the object to make a few more changes

At one point, the Washington, DC, native can be seen kneeling down using a small propane tank to heat up the object to make a few more changes.

'Oh yeah, that's the one right there,' a man's voice from behind the camera can be heard saying as they continue to spin the object while jabbing it with that sharp tool.

As the process continues, Bella sits down, spinning the blow pole back and forth as it rests in a round plate that she holds with her right hand.

'It's a perfect shape,' the instructors says in encouragement.

'Here it is, ladies and gentlemen,' the man continues just as Bella gets up to blow into the pole to expand the molten hot material out to form some sort of glassware or vase.

Example: The catwalk queen drew out the shape of her piece she was trying to attain with chalk

Rounding it out: As the process continues, Bella sits down and spins the blow pole back and forth as it rests in a round plate that she holds with her right hand

Major phase: 'Here it is, ladies and gentlemen,' the man from behind the camera continues as Bella starts blowing into the pole

Expanding: Bella then process of blowing into the pole to expand the molten material out to form some sort of glassware

Old technique: Glassblowing is the practice of shaping a mass of glass that has been softened by heat by blowing air into it through a tube, or in this case a pole

The final clips shows a closeup of Bella spinning the glass while adding a few intricate touches to the piece with a prong-like tool.

Glassblowing is the practice of shaping a mass of glass that has been softened by heat by blowing air into it through a tube

It was was invented by Syrian craftsmen in the area of Sidon, Aleppo, Hama and Palmyra in the 1st century BC, according to Britannica.

The technique has remained essentially the same to the present day.

Ancient art form: Glassblowing was was invented by Syrian craftsmen in the area of Sidon, Aleppo, Hama and Palmyra in the 1st century bc, according to Britannica

Lovin' it: The glassblowing technique has remained basically the same to the present day

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Bella Hadid flashes her toned figure in shorts and a crop top while learning the art of glassblowing

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The craft evolved significantly in Damascus, where artisans incorporated painting and decoration techniques using oxides, thermal colors, and other materials to create intricate designs on glass objects such as lanterns and mishkats, reflecting the city's rich cultural heritage.

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Content: Samples of the Damascene Literary Heritage Attend an Exhibition and Seminar in the Culture of Infection
Damascus-Sana
In the exhibition “Heritage Crafts are Inherited by the Fragrance of History ” hosted by the Adawi Cultural Center, the artworks varied between glass decoration, Damascene brocade and various handicrafts.
The exhibition was followed by an introductory seminar on these arts for the Sheikhs of Carr and craftsmen specialized in these professions under the supervision of the handicraft trainer Rowaa Yousef.
Youssef Lassana explained that the exhibition was dedicated to traditional professions in general and handicrafts, especially such as brocade, painting on glass, Islamic motifs and handicrafts to maintain their continuity and importance.
Mohammed Bassam Rayhan Sheikh Al-Karar in painting on glass and decoration spoke in his intervention about the history of this craft, its forms, fields of work and materials used in it, pointing out that the glass, which was the first to be invented by the Phoenicians, evolved in Damascus throughout history and was painted on the mishkat and lanterns using oxides and various materials, thermal colors, acrlik and others.
The Damascene brocade craftsman Mohammed Rankous explained in his intervention that this cloth is made of natural silk and golden reed yarns and attributed to Damascus because it took its character, heritage and environment, such as the painting of Omar Khayyam, the Levantine Rose, grape clusters, the lover and the beloved, and the octagonal geometric drawings, pointing out that this craft entered the cultures of different civilizations.
Nasruddin Mohammed is a graduate of applied arts and a drawing teacher who participated in paintings for his students from children and boys. In his intervention, he explained the history of the Damascene plant decoration, its methods, types and schools such as Andalusian, Persian and Damascene, and its differences in decoration, diggings, mirrors and miniatures, indicating that its history dates back to the Andalusian civilization, which was its main creativity in palaces and buildings.
Mohammed Sabha is a bridal craftsman who participated in a group of decorative glass works for brides and explained that he has completed a model of a waterfall flowing from an electric mountain that is operated by hand from cardboard, wood and cork inspired by his ideas.
Rana Ayoub participated in a group of works of three-dimensional models and miniatures of the Levant environment. She explained that she chose this environment because she grew up and lived in it and adored it. It is necessary to inform future generations of their heritage and history, pointing out that she works with cork, wood, natural materials, gypsum, ceramic paste and others.
Bilal Ahmed

Syrian glassblowing is deeply intertwined with cultural narratives that emphasize its historical roots and artistic significance, as it is a craft passed down through generations and considered a vital part of Syrian heritage dating back over two thousand years to the Phoenicians.

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

The Levant region, including Syria, has historically been a hub for cultural exchange, as evidenced by the spread of Syrian glassblowing techniques to other parts of the Mediterranean, such as Lebanon and Egypt, where early glass-blowing technology enabled mass production and influenced local practices, highlighting Syria's role in fostering regional trade and artistic innovation.

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Content: British Museum displays newly restored ancient glass vessels damaged in Beirut explosion

Discoveries made during the reconstruction process shed light on glass production in Lebanon 2,000 years ago

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Eight ancient glass vessels, damaged in the 2020 Beirut port explosion, have just gone on display at the British Museum in London as part of the exhibition Shattered Glass of Beirut.

The vessels, dating back to the Roman, Islamic and Byzantine periods, include bowls, a flask, beaker, jug and cup that were meticulously pieced back together as part of an ongoing collaborative restoration project between the British Museum and the Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut, which began last year.

On August 2020, a stockpile of ammonium nitrate exploded at the port of Beirut in Lebanon, killing at least 218 people, injuring 7,000, displacing 300,000 and causing $15 billion worth of damage.

The explosion shattered the AUB museum’s windows, doors and a case containing 74 glass vessels, shattering all but two pieces.

As part of an emergency recovery campaign, 18 vessels have been pieced back together. Conservators at the British Museum and the AUB museum hope that at least half of the remaining 46 objects can also be restored soon.

Over three months, experts from the Archaeological Museum and the British Museum laboriously sorted through fragments of the broken vessels and sensitively reassembled them.

Conservators at both institutions made the decision to reconstruct the vessels to be structurally sound but leave the visible damage caused by the explosion. Lighting will be used in the display to highlight the flaws and cracks in the glass, which have now become part of the history of the ancient objects.

“Reconstructing these fragmented glass vessels one tiny bit at a time, helped to reunite, to recognise their heritage value and to build a sense of community,” said Nadine Panayot, curator of AUB's Archaeological Museum.

“To see these shattered and delicate vessels reassembled not only sparked a healing process, but also inspired me to hope for a better future.”

Playing footage of the reconstruction process alongside recorded interviews with the conservators, Shattered Glass of Beirut will demonstrate the emotional impact of the explosion, and the emergency response to it.

“The footage of the Beirut explosion came as a huge shock, and I replayed the images repeatedly in disbelief,” said Zeina Klink-Hoppe, curator at the British Museum.

“Working with colleagues at the British Museum and at the Archaeological Museum in Beirut to piece together some of the artefacts that were shattered in the explosion has been an emotional journey, but also a meaningful small step in the preservation of Beirut’s heritage and pride and in the recovery of its citizens as they gradually rebuild their lives.”

During the reconstruction process, individual fragments underwent scientific analysis at the British Museum and University College London’s Institute of Archaeology. Non-destructive scanning techniques revealed new information about the provenance of glass production and the nature of the glass materials, along with interesting manufacturing details.

The vessels were made at sites along the eastern Mediterranean coast — six were produced using early glass-blowing technology, revealing experimentation in the function and form of the pieces. Two others date to the early Islamic and late Byzantine periods, and were possibly imported to Lebanon from present-day Syria or Egypt.

Some of the vessels revealed signs of recycling in their production, with craftspeople possibly using older glass to make new objects.

While experts have found it fascinating to identify the similarities between today's glass recycling techniques and those from 2,000 years ago, the discoveries have also shed light on the habits and practices of glass producers and consumers of Lebanon in the first century BC.

The development of glass-blowing technology in the Levant enabled the mass production of glass objects, revolutionising production of the material in the region.

The Shattered Glass of Beirut exhibition will be on show at The Asahi Shimbun Displays, British Museum, until October 23.

British Museum Egyptian hieroglyphs exhibition - in pictures

Updated: August 29, 2022, 3:05 PM
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Syrian traditional glassblowing is distinguished by its use of recycled glass, which is melted at high temperatures and shaped into various artistic forms such as hookah bottles, vases, and decorative items, with artisans employing manual techniques to blow, rotate, and process the glass into its final shape before adding intricate decorations and colors for aesthetic appeal.

The tools employed in Syrian glassblowing include hollow blow poles for shaping molten glass and manual engraving machines for intricate designs, with artisans sourcing materials like recycled glass locally, reflecting the craft's sustainable practices and deep connection to the region's resources.

Title:

Content: Archive / Saudi News
With pictures without limits.
People with disabilities fascinate visitors to Riyadh City Boulevard
Thank you for reading this story about unlimited creativity.
People with disabilities fascinate the visitors of Boulevard Riyadh City and now we start with the details
Dammam - Sherif Ahmed - - The number of participants reached about 20 artists from the platform "Wanted"
- The exhibition events contain a wide range of drawings
Talented people with disabilities, at the Art Gallery for Gifted People, attracted the attention of visitors to Riyadh City Boulevard, one of the areas of Riyadh Season, as they excelled in drawing expressive paintings and personal images by sculpting on glass, and highlighting them in professional ways.
The works of sculpture on glass by the talented artist Fahad Al-Hathour of the disabled, who presented 13 paintings he sculpted and painted in a vivid way to the visitors of the exhibition, stressing that the disability gave him the motivation to sail in the arts of creativity.
The artist showed that the mastery, focus and accuracy is what brought him to the stage of creativity by painting on glass, and that the visitor when walking around the exhibition attracted by the way of his work, explaining that this area is among the hobbies that stimulate him.
On the method of sculpting on glass, he said: The work begins with a manual engraving machine to establish the painting, and then add a lot of details to reveal the identity of each glass painting, noting that the painting on glass takes four days to accomplish in a creative way.
He added that painting on glass is an art that includes many details to be very accurate, especially when using electrical tools in drawing, as this type of drawing is attractive and distinctive in nature, which works to change the features of glass completely to look more elegant, and this drawing embraces the methods of choosing good material from glass with the selection of colors appropriate to the desired shape in plastic arts.
He pointed out that this style of professions dates back several centuries, with ancient folk arts that were born and lived for ages and long times, until they developed and became the focus of attention of gourmets.
Studio, one of the subdistricts of Boulevard Riyadh City, is home to the exhibition of talented arts with disabilities, with about 20 artists from the “Wanted ” platform. The exhibition also features a large collection of drawings, which is one of the platform ’ s initiatives.
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Despite its cultural significance, traditional glassblowing in Syria faces challenges due to the economic and social impacts of war, leading to a decline in the number of active craftsmen and threatening the survival of this heritage, prompting efforts to revive and sustain the craft through exhibitions and training programs for younger generations.

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Content: Exhibition of craft products by Syrian and Russian artists in the public park in Aleppo
Halab-Sana
On the grounds of the public park in the city of Aleppo, the activities of the exhibition of craft products were launched today, with the participation of 20 craftsmen and artists from Syria and the Russian Federation.
The exhibition, organized by the Ministry of Industry in cooperation with the Russian Cultural Center in Damascus, the Federation of Artisans in Aleppo and the Syrian Professional Center Association, includes a collection of heritage and artistic works, paintings of Ajami thread, ornaments and handicrafts of wool, orphans, leather, rugs, carpets, bamboo and silver industry.
According to the President of the Union of Artisans in Aleppo, Mohammed Hossam Hallak, in a statement to SANA correspondent, the exhibition aims to highlight the traditional handicrafts and crafts and folklore professions to revive them by training the younger generations and mastering their industry to preserve them.
Mustafa al-Nu, President of the Syrian Professional Center Association, pointed out that the association worked to attract professionals and handicrafts, and provided them with financial grants to encourage them to continue their work, to preserve these crafts from extinction, in addition to training young people wishing to learn these crafts and develop them to suit the times.
The Russian artist Yuri Lishin, famous for the manufacture of blowing on glass, talked about his professionalism for more than 54 years, and his participation in many exhibitions in the world, indicating that his visit to Syria to learn about the glass industry, and participate in workshops on the manufacture of hand glass in Syria.
A number of participants noted the importance of the exhibition, which allows for the marketing of their products, where Zakaria Sultan, who works in the craft of silver and peat breaking, explained that he participates with silver and copper products and accessories made by hand in various forms for swimming pools, steadfastness, image cadres and chandeliers, in addition to grafting copper on wood, calling for providing the necessary support to maintain this profession.
The craftsman Ayman Saeed presented the results of the drawing on wood, which is called Ajami art, and stated that he learned to make this art and plant motifs and painting in Arabic calligraphy in the association, and became a trainer contributing to the revival of heritage, and that the exhibition is an important opportunity to market his products.
Artist Tala Naravyan participated in watercolor, oil and other paintings painted with pencils and charcoal, talking about the Armenian and Arab heritage and the neighborhoods of Aleppo and its citadel, pointing out that she participates to introduce people to the components of the rich Syrian heritage through painting because it constitutes the language of the world.
Samira Misto, who works in the craft of making the ancient traditional macrame, using colored threads and ropes to decorate the Koran, mirrors, clothes and jewelry, pointed out that she is working to develop this profession by adding beads and tree trunks to revive and preserve it.
Qusay Razzouk
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Aleppo Public Park

The number of traditional glassblowers currently practicing in Damascus has significantly declined, with many craftsmen migrating or switching professions due to economic challenges and the lack of market demand for handmade glass products, as reported by the Damascus Craftsmen’s Union and other sources on traditional crafts in Syria.

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Content: What is the reality of traditional and traditional professions in Syria?
DAMASCUS – The traditional professions and crafts in Syria were not immune to the repercussions of the war. In light of the difficult economic and security conditions that the country has been witnessing for more than a decade, these professions are suffering from an unprecedented decline related to production and market conditions, which makes them today threatened with extinction.
The head of the Union of Craftsmen in the province of Latakia Jihad Pro, in a recent statement to the local newspaper Al-Watan, the decline of the production of handicrafts and handicrafts of various kinds by 50% within the province, considering the high costs of production inputs and increased income taxes as direct reasons for this decline.
Bassam Qalaji, head of the artisanal association for confectionery in Damascus, told the local newspaper Global last month that more than half of the confectionery craftsmen had stopped producing and switched to other professions due to low demand and insufficient profits.
Successive statements reveal the reality of Syrian traditional and traditional crafts, which are suffering under the weight of the economic decline that the country is suffering from.
This situation has prompted thousands of craftsmen to close their workshops and shops and switch to other jobs, or migrate and move their work abroad, amid the real threat of the disappearance of many traditional traditional traditional professions and handicrafts, which constitute vital sectors of the economic sector in the country and an integral part of its cultural identity.
What are the main reasons for this decline?
How does it affect the economic life of the country?
Lack of support and unequal competition
Anton, a 42-year-old Damascene craftsman and former owner of a mosaic workshop in rural Damascus, says his struggle for years to keep his workshop open, producing and selling enough to pay its workers has been futile.
He adds in an interview with Al Jazeera Net: "I tried hard to maintain the workshop and its workers for as long as possible, but the constant high prices of wood (local and imported) in an inappropriate manner, the long interruption of electricity (16-18 hours a day), and the low demand for mosaic in the domestic and foreign market, all factors forced me to lay off workers, and later to close the workshop after months, during which I received only two orders."
In addition to these factors, Anton attributed the low demand for "original" mosaics and other handicrafts and heritage artifacts (copperware, damask, antika, textiles) to:
The reality of the market at the moment in the absence of tourists.
• The decline of external demand for the commodity as a result of the interruption of trade relations with foreign markets.
• Migration of brokers and traders and thus reduced export.
• Unequal competition.
With heritage products becoming “more than luxury ” for Syrians suffering from poor purchasing power (average monthly salaries of about $20), and the lack of support for craftsmen and awareness of the importance and authenticity of these products by trade unions and government agencies, Syria ’ s craftsmen face major challenges to continue their craft.
Although there are no accurate figures on the number of craftsmen who have been driven by working conditions to emigrate outside the country, the head of the Damascus Craftsmen ’ s Union, Ali Qarmashti, revealed in an interview with the local news website Click News last year that the percentage of Damascene craftsmen migrating has become very high, especially among young people.
Repellent economic and social policies
In addition to the direct economic factors that led to the decline of traditional crafts during the past few years, represented by the high prices of raw materials, the poor reality of services, and the decline of the sale and purchase movement, there were indirect factors that affected these crafts.
Syrian economist Younis Karim believes that the artisan crisis began in 2008 after being subjected to great pressures due to the change of the general economic orientation in the country.
He said in an interview with Al Jazeera Net: "Since 2008, the authorities have put their hands on the spread of these industries due to the importance of their geographical location, and work to change their features in favor of wealthy investors, or provide them as donations to countries that Damascus seeks to establish bilateral relations with."
According to the expert, the reality of the work of traditional crafts after 2011 became more complex and difficult with "the continued adoption of economic and social policies by the regime that restrict the owners of these crafts, exclude them from support, take their places of deployment, in addition to the cessation of exhibitions and the difficulty of participating in external events because of the political positions of the regime.
Karim explains that the family and social disintegration suffered by Syrians as a result of large-scale migration during the last decade was an added reason for the decline of these crafts, which “relied on inheritance between generations of the same family as a tradition followed by Syrian craftsmen long ago. ”
Kilo to Piece and Pieces
It seems that some traditional crafts and crafts are in the same trench with traditional crafts in their war against extinction, where the owners of many traditional crafts are no less original than those of heritage, especially the confectioners from the high costs of raw materials in production, high costs of energy stands, and successive losses due to the reluctance of citizens to buy expensive Arabic sweets.
Suhaib, 55, owner of a sweets shop in the Jazmatiya area of Damascus, told Al Jazeera Net: "Days pass without selling a total of a kilo of various items, and two years ago the stagnation of goods in the shop became a familiar phenomenon to us, and had it not been for the holiday seasons, and some occasions and weddings held here and there, we would have closed long ago."
Al-Halwani Al-Damascene adds in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net: "Our profits, and the profits of most of the shops of Halwanis in Damascus, have decreased by a large percentage since the beginning of the economic crisis in the country."
Al-Halwani pointed out that the price of a kilo of some varieties of Arabic sweets has exceeded 400 thousand pounds recently, adding: "Which is not able for Syrians to buy, so we have become selling methods in which we rely on small quantities, so we sell baklava, crystal, shaped, asian, brominated and other items in ounces, grain (piece) and two grains to keep the sales movement, and do not stop customers from our shop."
As for the reasons why sweets in Damascus stopped working and many of them emigrated outside the country, Al-Halwani said: “Many reasons start from the large annual taxes that are inconsistent with high operating costs and low profits, in addition to the high prices of commercial electricity and fuel needed to operate shops and laboratories, the huge increase in the prices of raw materials, the high wages of workers, and the reluctance of customers to buy these sweets except on occasions. ”
High prices
Prices of food, nuts and other components of Arabic sweets have risen by varying rates recently, as the price of a kilo of animal margarine reached 150 thousand pounds ($equivalent to about 2511 pounds), while the price of a kilo of pistachio love rose to 300 thousand, and the price of a kilo of walnuts to 120 thousand.
The prices of popular sweets such as Al-Barazek and Al-Ma ’ amoul in Damascus markets, by the holy month of Ramadan, were between 100 and 130 thousand pounds per kilo, while the prices of medium and luxury sweets such as “Al-Belouria ”,“ Al-Mashkeel ”, “Kool and Shakour ”,“ Aish Al-Bulbul ” and “Baklava ” ranged between 250 and 500 thousand per kilo, which is equivalent to the salary of a Syrian employee in the public sector.
The head of the artisanal association for confectionery industry, Bassam Qalaji, attributed this rise in confectionery prices to the government lifting subsidies on oil derivatives, which led to a direct increase in costs by 150%, pointing out that raising the price of electricity by 5 times will lead to an increase in the price of about 650 products.
Qalaji said in a statement to the local newspaper Al-Watan last month that the largest number of confectionery craftsmen emigrated, and their first destination was Algeria followed by Germany.
In March last year, the head of the artisanal association for the confectionery industry revealed that 70% of the workshops of the confectionery industry were closed due to the economic crisis and the low demand for sweets and refreshments.
A severe blow to the economy
This gradual disappearance of traditional crafts is a painful blow to the Syrian economy, says economist Younis Karim, “For decades these crafts have been the largest incubator of Syrian labor, and their contribution to the economy before 2011 ranged from 40 to 50%. ”
This is what Matanios Habib, a researcher and former Syrian oil minister, said in a research paper entitled “The private sector in Syria ” (2005), when he pointed out that the private industrial sector in Syria tended to invest in crafts for fear of nationalization policies, whether during the era of Syrian-Egyptian unity (1958-1961) or after the revolution of March 8 (1967).
Karim stresses that the crisis of workers in traditional crafts, such as confectioners and others, dates back to before 2011, specifically to the period between 2007 and 2009, when there was “an attempt by the regime to pressure the owners of traditional crafts and crafts by forcing them to pay taxes, and to keep them away from city centers in favor of large investors. ”
Younis Karim believes that the gradual demise of these crafts will have negative effects on the Syrian economy because of their role in "providing job opportunities beyond those provided by large laboratories and their excellence in ease of operation and achievement, and the ability to spread.
Source: The Island

Traditional glassblowers in Damascus face challenges such as high production costs, limited access to raw materials, and the absence of government support, compounded by the migration of skilled artisans and the decline in external demand for heritage products due to disrupted trade relations.

The craft is further endangered by the lack of interest among younger generations, who are deterred by the low profitability and limited career prospects associated with traditional glassblowing, threatening the continuity of this cultural heritage.

The ongoing conflict in Syria has exacerbated the decline of glassblowing by disrupting markets, damaging infrastructure, and displacing artisans, although some craftsmen, like Yassin Arab in Aleppo, have worked to revive the craft in liberated areas using recycled materials and traditional techniques.

UNESCO recognized traditional Syrian glassblowing as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding in December 2023, emphasizing its historical significance and the threat posed by modern challenges to preserving this ancient craft practiced for over two millennia.

UNESCO included Syrian glassblowing in its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in December 2023 due to the decline in practitioners and the impact of war, emphasizing the need to preserve this ancient craft as a vital part of Syria's cultural identity and heritage.

UNESCO’s designation of Syrian glassblowing as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding highlights the craft’s historical significance, dating back over two thousand years to the Phoenicians, and its role as a vital cultural tradition in Syria’s identity and heritage.

The inclusion underscores the urgent need to protect this craft, which has been severely impacted by war and economic challenges, threatening the survival of the artisans and the transmission of their skills to future generations.

Title:

Content: A year of hard work to document and preserve the Syrian tangible and intangible heritage locally and internationally
Damascus-Sana
The Syrian heritage, both tangible and intangible, forms an important pillar within the World Heritage system, and is a key factor in strengthening the cultural identity of the Syrian people, building the present and protecting the future.
During 2022, the Ministry of Culture and its concerned institutions, in particular the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums and the Directorate of Intangible Cultural Heritage, focused on organizing a series of events and seminars and signing a series of agreements related to the importance and mechanisms of preserving this heritage in its various components.
Among the most important Syrian activities and works related to tangible and intangible heritage during 2022 are:
During the year, Syria held several discussions on the loan of Syrian artifacts damaged during the terrorist war on Syria for restoration and display in the Sultanate of Oman, and signed a joint statement on cooperation to preserve cultural heritage with the People ’ s Republic of China.
Syria participated in the International Forum of the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in the Russian city of Kazan, and the Scientific Conference on Archaeology in the Hungarian capital, and participated in a virtual lecture within the international conference on the protection of the Syrian cultural heritage after the war.
– The archaeological missions returned to excavations in 2022, including the joint Syrian-Italian archaeological mission, which began its work for the first season at the archaeological site of Amrit, and the discovery of a funerary burial and some archaeological finds and discoveries dating back to the Roman era in Amrit by the joint excavation team between the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums and the Department of Tartus Antiquities.
– The national expertise of the Directorate General of Antiquities worked to expand the work to discover the entire rare archaeological mosaic painting in the city of Rastan, which dates back to the Roman era, and reached a length of 20 meters and a width of 6 meters.
– Completion of the restoration work of the Arc de Triomphe in the ancient city of Palmyra, which was destroyed by terrorist organizations in 2015, and the second phase of the restoration project began with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Directorate of Antiquities, the Syrian Secretariat and the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Russian Federation.
– Holding a workshop “Restoring Syrian Heritage and Reviving Local Communities ” at Expo 2020 Dubai, in which local, Arab and international bodies specialized in antiquities participated.
– In the National Museum in Damascus and in tribute to the lives and sacrifices of about 27 martyrs who rose during the terrorist war on Syria in defense of the Syrian cultural heritage, an exhibition of recovered archaeological treasures 3 entitled (Salute to the martyrs of the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums) was opened within the days of Syrian culture.
– The opening of a painting exhibition entitled “Restoration of Syrian Heritage by Theo Vitit ’ s Vision ” at the National Museum in Damascus, which is a painting of restoration and excavation works in Syrian archaeological sites, painted by the Dutch artist and archaeologist Theo Vitit in 2018 and 2021, and was presented in the Netherlands to introduce the Western community to what happened to the Syrian cultural heritage.
In Damascus Castle, the first national screening of the film Siriacus Section, directed by Olivier Bourgeois, was launched in 2022 in cooperation between the Ministry of Culture, the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums, and the Syrian Trust for Development. The film, which won more than 17 international awards, talks about the solidarity of a small group of archaeologists and museum curators with the escalation of the terrorist war on Aleppo in 2015. The National Museum of Aleppo.
The Directorate of Antiquities, in cooperation with the European Center for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments and the Department of Antiquities at the University of Damascus, organized a digital exhibition on historical mosaics in Syria, entitled “Syria is still the source of arts ”.
– The beginning of the year witnessed the return of five Syrian destructive artifacts to the National Museum in Damascus at the initiative of the management of the Naboo Museum in Beirut, and the pieces are various funerary destructive statues from the collections of the Naboo Museum previously purchased from European auction houses.
The second leg of the Syrian Antiquities Exhibition, entitled “The Wonderful Syria ”, was opened in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, southwest China, which lasted until May. During this period, special scientific seminars and cultural events were held in connection with the exhibition, in which the Department of Antiquities and Museums participated with 195 important artifacts and collections of Syrian museums.
In 2022, the Directorate of Intangible Cultural Heritage has been active in most governorates, focusing on monitoring, studying and documenting the national intangible heritage and preparing the necessary plans to search for, study and inventory the elements of this heritage and include them in the national register, in cooperation with governmental and non-governmental institutions, local communities and international organizations.
The Directorate of Heritage organized a workshop on Syrian intangible cultural heritage at Al-Assad National Library, in preparation for the development of a national strategy for intangible cultural heritage in Syria.
– The project (Windows 5) was organized, whose musical evenings varied between documentation and promotion of Syrian heritage songs, and many heritage festivals were held in the provinces.
– The project of documenting the elements of the Syrian intangible heritage in ancient Homs, implemented by the Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the Syrian Secretariat and civil society, was launched in 2022 to preserve the elements of this heritage, and work continued on the project of documenting the elements of the intangible heritage in Tartus province.
Within the framework of the implementation of the plan to preserve the element of the theater of shadow imagination Karkouz and Aiwaz after registration on the list of urgent conservation of the world humanitarian heritage at UNESCO, the Syrian Secretariat for Development continued the third professional training after Damascus and Suwayda, for youth cadres in the city of Aleppo.
The Syrian Secretariat for Development has developed the “Living Heritage ” program with the local community in Aleppo governorate, the main axes for the preservation of the Aleppo cod, which was registered on the Representative List of Human Heritage at UNESCO by the end of 2021 with the participation of a group of governmental and civil authorities, artists, musicians, researchers and interested in the Arab, musical and art of cod.
At the international level:
Syria has been elected vice-president of the ninth session of the General Assembly of the States Parties to the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for a two-year term 2022-2024.
Syria participated in the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development, Mondiacult 2022, in Mexico.
– In 2022, a scientific research by the son of the city of Aleppo, Antoine Makdis, related to how to recover from the effects of war through independent cultural production based on intangible cultural heritage won the first place in the competition of the Foundation of Santgrata, specialized in the Italian cultural economy.
– An integrated archaeological project in the Baal Shemin Temple in Palmyra has been shortlisted for the third cycle of ICCROM Sharjah Award for the Conservation and Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Arab Region 2020-2022.
Rasha Mahfoudh and Mays Al-Ani
Follow SANA news on Telegram https: / / t.me / SyrianArabNewsAgency

UNESCO’s recognition aims to preserve the traditional techniques and cultural practices surrounding Syrian glassblowing, ensuring its continuity as a living heritage and fostering international awareness of its cultural value.

Title:

Content: UNESCO considers Arab and international nominations for inscription on the Intangible Heritage List
UNESCO is considering new nominations from several countries to inscribe intangible cultural arts on the World Heritage List at the 17th meeting of the UNESCO Committee, which opened Monday in Rabat.
The list includes 56 files, four of which require urgent measures to protect them from extinction, such as the porcelain art of the Cham nationality in Vietnam, according to the organization.
It also includes several nominations from Arab countries such as the Algerian Rai music, the Tunisian Harissa hot sauce, the Omani dagger and the heritage sites of the “Journey of the Holy Family ” in Egypt.
Iran and Syria have submitted a joint dossier on “the art of making and playing sticks. ”
The files that are accepted will be announced from Tuesday to Saturday, at UNESCO ’ s Twitter account.
To avoid creating any confusion, the organization emphasizes that the goal is primarily to celebrate and preserve traditions, practices and skills from extinction.
She explained, for example, that the fact that a baguette is an intangible world heritage does not mean that the baguette itself is the object of preservation, “but rather the traditional skills and culture surrounding its manufacture. ”
The same is true of Cuban rum, which will be celebrated for its manufacture and not for the drink itself.
The list includes cultural elements from around the world such as Azerbaijani / Turkish tea traditions and techniques of distilling selvowitz from peach alcohol in Serbia.
UNESCO Deputy Director-General for Culture Ernesto Otton told AFP that “this is a living heritage represented by the communities concerned with its preservation, as opposed to the material heritage, ” and can be found in more than one country.
The organization has already registered cultural arts of this kind, such as the famous couscous dish in the Maghreb, after the joint nomination of Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia in 2020.
Morocco ’ s ambassador to UNESCO, Samir Dahar, who is chairing the session, said in a press statement on Monday that “we would have hoped to present a joint file on the art of Algerian opinion, which is also present in Morocco, ” had it not been for the diplomatic break between the two countries.
“We hope from God that we will present common files when conditions improve one day, ” he said, stressing that the philosophy of the UN Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage is“ to bring people and cultures closer together. ”
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To support preservation efforts, UNESCO has emphasized the importance of training younger generations in traditional crafts and has collaborated with local organizations to provide financial grants and workshops aimed at reviving and sustaining these heritage practices.

Efforts to preserve and promote Syrian glassblowing include its recognition by UNESCO in December 2023 as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding, highlighting the craft's historical significance dating back over two thousand years to the Phoenicians.

Workshops, demonstrations, and educational programs play a crucial role in preserving Syrian glassblowing by training younger generations to master the craft, as highlighted in exhibitions like the one in Aleppo, which aim to revive traditional handicrafts and ensure their continuity through skill development and financial support for artisans.

Educational initiatives, such as workshops conducted in Sviyazhsk, demonstrate the effectiveness of hands-on training and public engagement in preserving glassblowing techniques, with activities like demonstration workshops and master classes helping to sustain the craft and its cultural significance.

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“Fascinating magic of glass ”: the exhibition of the project“ Lezem v bottled ” opened in Sviyazhsk
In the museum-reserve "Ostrov-grad Sviyazhsk" the opening of the exhibition "From the bottle" of the artistic and environmental project "Lezem in the bottle" took place.
“This project has become a new activity for all the team members, but the magic of glass has fascinated everyone so much that it is now difficult to imagine that we once lived without this activity, despite all the difficulties that arise.
It is very interesting to immerse yourself in the technological process and the history of glassblowing, the glass industry in Russia, which, unfortunately, is in the strongest decline at the moment, ” Yulia Nureeva, the project manager, told Tatar-Inform.
The essence of the project is the purposeful collection of glass bottles in special containers, which are sorted, cleaned and melted in a thick furnace for the manufacture of souvenir products and art objects.
Recall that in 2022, the team of the Sviyazhsky Reserve received grant support from the Potanin Foundation in the Creative Museum contest.
This made it possible to purchase 2 furnaces for working with liquid glass and for annealing finished products, the necessary tools, as well as to train the team.
Acquaintance with the craft of glassblower began from scratch - one of the masters was IT specialist Marat Proshkin, and the second - Alexandra Smirnova, she works with glass in the lampwork technique.
The project team was trained in several workshops of St. Petersburg, in Sviyazhsk and in one of the workshops of the city of Nikolsk, Penza region, the once famous glass factory of the Bakhmetyev.
During the implementation of the project, about 1.5 tons of bottles were collected, more than 700 kg of glass were processed, 30 demonstration workshops were held for visitors.
More than 100 souvenirs made of glass were bought by guests of Sviyazhsk in the museum store since January this year.
After the completion of the project "Lezem v botku" in the workshop "House of Glass" will continue to create souvenirs and conduct master classes for guests of Sviyazhsk.
The exhibition will run until April 8.
Photo: museum-reserve "Island-town Sviyazhsk".
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Syrian glassblowers traditionally pass down their craft through familial apprenticeship, as exemplified by artisans like Yassin Arab and Hussein Najjar, who learned the art from their fathers and have practiced it for decades, ensuring the preservation of this ancient heritage through hands-on training and personal dedication to the craft's aesthetic and technical aspects.

Challenges in transmitting the knowledge of glassblowing include the economic and social impacts of war, which have disrupted livelihoods, caused migration, and reduced the number of active craftsmen, as well as the lack of institutional support and the high costs of production materials and energy, which threaten the sustainability of this heritage craft.

Efforts to preserve the craft face additional hurdles, such as limited interest among younger generations and insufficient training programs, with some artisans advocating for integrating traditional crafts into school curricula to foster early engagement and ensure continuity of this cultural legacy.

Title:

Content: The puppet industry.
A Micro-Project by Laila Salman
Tartus-Sana
After completing her career, Ms. Laila Salman invested her time in the establishment of a micro-enterprise in the manufacture of dolls “Amigromi Art ” of woolen and cotton yarns as she has the skill to use the hook.
Ms. Salman, who lives in the city of Tartus and used to make clothes for her family by knitting wool, which she learned from a young age from her mother, told SANA: “The beginning of my work was limited to making dolls and gifts from wool using the hook according to the piece to be made, and according to the customer ’ s request to develop it later after my products met acceptance and approval, which encouraged me to work more. ”
Salman explains the stages of making the doll, which begins with knitting a woolen chain as a fulcrum until the completion of the general composition of the piece with the introduction of wires to straighten the hands and legs, in addition to the material of dikron for stuffing the doll, toys, key holders and some other luxuries to give the final shape of each piece.
Salman is keen to use the finest types of yarn from wool, cotton, soft dmc and others to make toys loved by children such as animals, mermaid and other forms such as roses and bags, which are safe to use pieces that are not affected by natural factors and maintain their quality.
Making dolls for Salman is a work that requires precision, patience and time, and each piece has a property unlike the other, stressing the importance of learning handicrafts for the young generation, including her two daughters, who are keen to learn this art and continue.
Salman considers her participation in exhibitions and bazaars the benefit of the fact that the customer feels the accuracy and vitality of the product in contrast to marketing through social media, where he stays away from enjoying the art and beauty of the pieces, indicating that her benefit from these sites was limited to expanding the horizon through viewing without learning to be innovation and renewal of her ideas is the basis.
Like other crafts and small projects, the difficulties of work lie in securing materials and providing some of its requirements from the local market and the high prices and not commensurate with the cost, however, Salman confirms its continued work and development, especially after its products have met the spread and approval of those interested in this beautiful art.
Fatima Hussein
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Look, too.
A young man from Suwayda employs his studies in a small project to manufacture children 's dresses
To prove the importance of studying in vocational institutes in opening prospects for young people to enter the labor market,

The craft is celebrated not only for its technical artistry but also for its role in preserving Syrian identity, as intangible heritage like glassblowing connects the past to the present and serves as a testament to the resilience of Syrian culture amidst challenges such as war and globalization.

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Content: Culture of Al-Baath Newspaper
Intangible heritage contributions to the protection of national identity
Amina Abbas
Heritage researchers and scholars agree that the Levant region is the most important heritage repository for humanity, as it has the oldest and richest heritage, and this heritage, both material and intangible, was coveted by the colonists since ancient times to destroy culture and identity, there is no identity without heritage based on it, and no heritage without identity, so Syria is keen through its institutions and bodies to emphasize the importance of preserving it.
Hence, the Quneitra branch of the Arab Writers Union, in celebration of World Heritage Day, decided to hold a seminar in the Levant Hall of the National Museum entitled “Contributions of Intangible Heritage to the Protection of National Identity ” with the participation of Dr. Amal Daccak, Professor Ruba Al-Diab, Qas Ghassan Houranieh and Dr. Rima Diab, Head of the Quneitra branch of the Arab Writers Union. It represents not only traditions and the past, but society in all its layers, and links the past to the present and the future, and it is a means for each people to prove its existence in the world and its authenticity, while stressing that the intangible heritage contributes to the preservation of identity and personality. Our identity and our heritage in the era of globalization, which is trying to eliminate our heritage and culture to be part of this lost world.
This was also confirmed by Dr. Dakak in her participation: “The Syrian tangible and intangible heritage is rich in its authenticity and civilization that dates back thousands of years, so it was and still is coveted by the colonists who stole many treasures to be in their world museums, and their war on Syria recently was aimed at destroying culture and identity and stealing antiquities. ” It is an integrated cultural unit formed by man throughout his long history with his creative thinking, observations, reflections and experiences accumulated generation after generation, and it is the social environment occupied by man and the components and pillars produced by previous generations until it reached subsequent generations and has the function of supervising the behavior of the individual and his sociocultural upbringing because it is a reflection of the social, intellectual and cultural life of peoples. As Daccak pointed out, the identity is the set of psychological, social and civilizational features of our nation throughout its long history, and the folklore constitutes the identity of a homeland rich in culture and civilization, calling in the era of globalization to seek to preserve our cultural identity and heritage, which represents this identity to face the challenges of globalization that invade us and want to eliminate our identity and culture. And our originality by drawing different borders in which national identity is absent and killing people in their country.
Because the Levantine rose and its associated practices and traditional crafts are important Syrian heritage elements inherited from generation after generation, and was included by UNESCO in 2019 in the list of intangible human heritage was talked about by Professor Al-Diab, who was crowned queen of roses and became Syrian ambassador to the world: “The Levantine rose was found painted on the wall of a palace on the island of Crete and was introduced to France during wars. As the poet Nizar Qabbani wrote about her,“ I am your Damascene rose, O people of the Levant, and whoever finds me should put me in the first vase, ” referring to the areas of its cultivation in Damascus countryside and Ghubartha. The project was launched by the Syrian Secretariat for Development in 2020 with the support of First Lady Asma al-Assad, affirming that Syrians consider the Levantine Rose an important part of their culture. The Ministry of Tourism has taken it as its slogan, in addition to many medical and cosmetic companies and building a path that is architecturally designed in the form of a Levantine Rose, explaining that the elements of the Syrian intangible cultural heritage include: Traditions and expressions “qaṣīda, mawwāl, ataba, dalaouna, zaghārīd, folk proverbs ” and the arts:“ Aleppo qadūd, coastal dabka, Circassian dance, Syriac church music ” Social practices “preparing and serving bitter coffee ” Knowledge and practices related to nature and the universe:“ cupping, traditional architecture ” Skills related to traditional crafts “wooden mosaic, brocade ” The crafts associated with the Levantine Rose ”, and that the elements of the intangible Syrian heritage included in the lists of human heritage are: falcon hunting, shadow fiction theater, Levantine Rose, Aleppo cod, glass blowing and making sticks and playing on them.
It is noteworthy that the seminar included the presentation of a film prepared by dr.
Amal Daccak spoke about heritage in our contemporary lives and its role in preserving our national identity, and the participation of the storyteller Ghassan Houranieh through a short story titled “The Levantine Rose ”.

Syria views its intangible heritage, including glassblowing, as a vital link between its past, present, and future, serving as a means to assert its cultural authenticity and resist the erasure of identity in the face of modern challenges such as globalization and cultural homogenization.

Efforts to revive traditional crafts like glassblowing, such as exhibitions and training programs, are seen as crucial for preserving Syria's heritage and fostering cultural pride, with artisans like Yassin Arab and Hussein Najjar exemplifying the dedication to sustaining this ancient art form despite economic and social hardships.

The decline of such crafts also impacts global artisanal diversity, as Syrian glassblowing represents unique techniques and aesthetics that contribute to the richness of international heritage, with UNESCO emphasizing its urgent need for preservation to prevent the erosion of this intangible cultural legacy.

Artist co-ops and international organizations can collaborate to support endangered crafts like Syrian glassblowing by organizing joint exhibitions and workshops that promote cultural exchange and skill-sharing, as demonstrated by the exhibition in Aleppo featuring Syrian and Russian artisans, which aimed to revive traditional crafts and train younger generations to preserve them.


Global avocado consumption has surged over the past decade, driven by its popularity as a healthy and versatile food, with demand increasing exponentially in regions like the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Mexico, the leading exporter of avocados, produces approximately 80% of the global supply, with Michoacán as the primary region responsible for exports to countries such as the United States, Canada, and Japan.

The economic benefits of avocado farming are significant, with Mexico's avocado industry contributing over $6.1 billion annually to the U.S. economy and supporting approximately 300,000 workers in Michoacán alone.

However, the environmental impact of avocado farming is severe, with deforestation in Michoacán linked to criminal organizations clearing protected woodlands to expand cultivation, leading to soil erosion and water scarcity.

Avocado farming is highly water-intensive, requiring approximately 1,000 liters of water per kilogram of fruit, which exacerbates water scarcity in regions like Chile, Peru, and Morocco.

Socially, the rising demand for avocados has displaced indigenous communities in Mexico and led to labor exploitation, with criminal organizations using violence to control production and extort farmers.

Sustainability initiatives, such as Rainforest Alliance certifications in Mexico and green irrigation technologies in Kenya, aim to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of avocado farming.

Certifications like Fair Trade and Global G.A.P. promote ethical labor practices, sustainable farming methods, and environmental conservation in the avocado industry.

Despite its benefits, the high carbon footprint of avocados, driven by long-distance transportation and water use, underscores the need for more sustainable consumption practices.

By choosing sustainably sourced or locally grown avocados, consumers can reduce environmental harm while supporting ethical farming practices and local economies.

Global avocado consumption has surged over the past decade, driven by its popularity as a healthy and versatile food, with demand increasing exponentially in regions like the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Title:

Content: For foodies, workers, restaurant owners and investors on both sides of the Rio Grande border, Friday brought a sigh of relief after the United States lifted its temporary ban on imports of Mexican avocados.

The week-long pause — albeit a short one — had fueled concerns in the avocado industry, from the workers who pick the fruit in Mexico to consumers worrying about a potential shortage of a staple in the diets of many Americans.

Mexico supplies about 80 percent of the avocados eaten in the United States. The import ban — stemming from purported threats to a U.S. inspector in the Latin American country — shook a billion-dollar industry. Not only did the commotion showcase the law enforcement issues that growers are frequently subjected to in Mexico, but experts said it underscored the importance of one of the strongest and most successful bilateral trade agreements.

Before being smeared into toast or squashed into guacamole, the avocado’s life begins in an orchard in Michoacán — a western Mexican state over a thousand miles away from the border and the only one allowed to send over avocados to the United States. From a bright-green fruit hanging atop trees to its final stage inside American kitchens, the avocado’s journey from seed to food encompasses different phases of inspections and agreements between the two nations — which suddenly took a hit.

Last week, a plant safety inspector from the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service was inspecting avocados in Michoacán, when he saw some avocados that looked suspiciously like they came from another state, according to USDA and other industry experts. He raised a red flag and soon after, he received a voice-mail threat. Then the USDA announced it was shutting down imports until it could be assured its agents were safe.

The potential of an impending shortage quickly rippled across the industry — one that came shortly before the Super Bowl, one of the avocado’s biggest events. Soon, food establishments and groceries began worrying about keeping up with a demand that has exponentially increased throughout the past decade.

Prices for the fruit deemed “green gold” were already 100 percent higher than the previous year, said David Magaña, a senior analyst for RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness. But the year-long availability of avocados had also increased as well — indicating that a surge in demand can be attributed to different factors, he said.

For one, avocados, with their versatility and healthy fat attributes, became a food trend and Internet obsession. At the same time, the Hispanic population booms across the country — with a larger share of Latinos among Gen Z — have been “one of the major forces pulling the demand for avocados,” the analyst said.

But behind all those green juices and avocado Instagram-worthy photos is the partnership between Mexico and the United States — which has played a crucial role in enabling the market to expand.

In 1995 — a time when “fat-free” food staples ruled the market — the United States did not have much of a taste for avocados. The majority of the consumed fruit was produced in California. Avocado imports that year totaled $14.7 million, of which $700,000 came from Mexico, said David Orden, a professor in the department of agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech.

Mexico’s avocados had been banned in the decades before the North American Free Trade Agreement from 1994, Orden said — mostly out of a concern that weevils, scabs and other pests could enter U.S. orchards from imported products. The trade agreement opened the door for the incremental expansion of avocados.

In establishing a system in which U.S. inspectors verify that avocados are pest-free — from when they are growing in orchards to the moment they are packed into sealed trucks — Mexico has been allowed to ship its agricultural product. It started with an approved wintertime stock in Alaska back in the ’90s that has turned into a current year-long supply in all states.

“So that’s all very encouraging and great story about growth and trade agreements, and something the U.S. is trying to do in other countries as well,” Orden said.

The agreement has contributed to economic progress in both sides of the border. Last year, “the two-way food and agricultural trade reached $65 billion, including $2.8 billion in Mexican avocado exports to the United States,” U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement. In Michoacán, some 300,000 workers depend on the avocado industry — including those doing the picking, the packing and the transporting of the fruit.

But their livelihoods have been threatened by encumbering cartels, who see the booming industry as a golden hen for profit, Orden said.

“It has attracted the attention of these gangs in an area where the cartels are not under control,” he said. “That’s where this story takes on a shadier color. But that’s really a law enforcement issue, and one that affects all of our relationships with Mexico.”

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said in a statement that it had worked with the Mexican government and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico to enact “additional measures” to safeguard the safety of its inspectors.

While the agency did not disclose what such measures encompass, they served to avert what could have been a costly avocado crisis — one that would had impacted plenty, from those picking the fruit to those biting into their avocado toasts.

“With this we ensure the exportation of fruit and provide economic certainty to farmers and day laborers,” Michoacán Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla tweeted Friday.

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

Mexico, the leading exporter of avocados, produces approximately 80% of the global supply, with Michoacán as the primary region responsible for exports to countries such as the United States, Canada, and Japan.

Title:

Content: Avocado: Between Environmental Impacts and Global Market Controllers
In the Mexican state of Michoacán, which produces about 80% of the world ’ s avocado, avocado cultivation has depleted local water supplies and caused severe environmental damage, with studies showing that avocado cultivation has led to deforestation, soil erosion and chemical contamination of water sources.
(Getty)
In recent years, the avocado industry has become a staple in many diets around the world, and its popularity has increased greatly due to the multiple health benefits.
However, the demand for this fruit has led to harmful environmental effects and the emergence of a mafia that controls the production and distribution of avocados in some countries.
A Chilean study published recently said that avocado cultivation has caused severe water shortages, as well as in Peru, where large farmers have dominated the avocado market since the 1990s, where cultivation requires huge amounts of water, the production of one kilogram of avocado, consumes about 1,000 liters of water, much more than other crops such as tomatoes or oranges.
According to a report by the Water Footprint Network, the production of one kilogram of tomatoes requires about 300 liters of water, and the high water use of avocado production has led to water scarcity and depletion of aquifers in some areas.
In the Mexican state of Michoacán, which produces about 80% of the world ’ s avocado, avocado cultivation has depleted local water supplies and caused severe environmental damage, with studies showing that avocado cultivation has led to deforestation, soil erosion and chemical contamination of water sources.
According to the report, moving avocados from the production site to the market also has a significant impact on the climate, as avocados are grown mainly in developing countries, and are exported to developed countries such as the United States, Europe and Japan, and the transport of avocados over long distances contributes to greenhouse gas emissions harmful to the environment. Approximately 5.4 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per kg of avocado.
Avocado production has also led to the emergence of a mafia that controls the production and distribution of avocados in some countries, where the avocado mafia operates mainly in Mexico, where it controls the production and export of avocados, and this mafia, according to media reports, consists of criminal organizations that use violence and intimidation to control the production and distribution of avocados, and often extort money from farmers. The avocado mafia uses violence to eliminate competitors and dominate the export market, as studies have shown that these gangs are responsible for deforestation, land grabbing and violence against indigenous communities in Mexico.
According to dozens of studies published in recent years, avocado cultivation also has negative effects on local communities. In some areas, demand for avocados has led to land grabbing, community displacement, labor exploitation, and avocado cultivation in the Mexican state of Michoacán has led to the displacement of indigenous communities and the exploitation of often paid migrant workers. Some studies have shown that the expansion of avocado cultivation has displaced traditional crops, leading to food insecurity and loss of biodiversity.
According to the study, governments around the world can take various measures to mitigate the impact of this agriculture on the climate, and one way is to promote sustainable avocado farming practices that reduce water use and reduce the use of chemicals. Protect the environment, provide financial incentives to farmers and enact laws that will deter illegal and criminal practices in these countries.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

The economic benefits of avocado farming are significant, with Mexico's avocado industry contributing over $6.1 billion annually to the U.S. economy and supporting approximately 300,000 workers in Michoacán alone.

Title:

Content: Avocados From Mexico® Celebrates 10 Years of Goodness

Published: Oct. 20, 2023 at 7:30 AM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago

The leading avocado brand in the U.S. shares its 10 biggest impacts from a decade of innovation in the produce industry

DALLAS, Oct. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- From making the U.S. the world's leader in avocado consumption, to creating an avocado brand in a brandless category and debuting the first-ever commercial about a fruit during the Big Game: Avocados From Mexico® has paved a fresh path in the produce marketing industry.

Avocados From Mexico, the #1 selling brand of avocados in the U.S., has spent ten years building a brand that is: always good, always good for you1, fun and delicious. With bold marketing that drives demand, strategic partnerships with CPG brands and a robust seasonal strategy all year, Avocados From Mexico has become known as a disruptive, world-class marketer and innovation powerhouse.

This October marks the 10th anniversary of Avocados From Mexico. While attending the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) trade show this week, Avocados From Mexico is celebrating this milestone, and the strategy that has defined the past decade of growth. The brand released its top 10 impacts since becoming a brand, along with an infographic that shares exactly what the brand has been cooking up for a decade and the results of some truly delicious innovations.

"This anniversary is a major milestone for Avocados From Mexico," said Avocados From Mexico President and CEO, Alvaro Luque. "We are celebrating 10 years of goodness, 10 years of growth, 10 years of driving demand for avocados in the U.S., 10 years of relentless passion for innovation, strong performance and fun. I'm so proud of all we have done, and I truly can't wait to see what we can accomplish next."

The fruits of the brand's decade of labor include:

  • Avocados From Mexico is the preferred brand of avocados in the U.S. The brand nearly tripled brand preference, reaching more than 50%.2
  • In 2015, the brand became the first produce brand to advertise during the Big Game, highlighting the synergy between avocados and football season.
  • In 2020, the brand was named one of the 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators by FastCompany, and in 2021, was #1 in FastCompany's Most Innovative Companies in the world in the branding category.
  • The brand also more than doubled the U.S. avocado market; now eight out of 10 avocados in the U.S. come from Mexico.3
  • The brand created a win-win story between two countries. The U.S. economic output of imported avocados from Mexico has increased more than 500% and its U.S. GDP is up five times to more than $6.1B annually.4
  • Avocados From Mexico reinvented shopper marketing, achieving growth in household penetration by six million new households and 19% growth in purchase frequency.
  • The brand avo-educated U.S. foodservice operators and retailer partners through Avocado University, the 1st and only certified avocado education program.
  • Avocados From Mexico also freshened up menus with avocados, seeing 20% growth in foodservice market share and in menu penetration.5

"In ten years, Avocados From Mexico has become the top-selling, most recognized avocado brand in the U.S. and the most innovative company in produce marketing. I would like to thank our employees, growers, packers, importers and partners, who have laid the groundwork for our success and have built the path for the bright future ahead of us," said Luque.

For 10 years, Avocados From Mexico has built a platform on goodness. Goodness for consumers, by bringing more high-quality, nutritious avocados to their tables at home and in restaurants. Goodness for the retailers, by supporting them with innovative marketing and growing the market. Goodness for the environment by embedding sustainable practices into the avocado industry, and goodness with fun times. The brand is always good, for everyone the brand touches, for the first 10 years, and the next.

To learn more about Avocados From Mexico, visit https://avocadosfrommexico.com, Facebook (facebook.com/avocadosfrommexico), Instagram (@avocadosfrommexico) or Twitter (@AvosFromMexico).

About Avocados From Mexico
Avocados From Mexico is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA), formed for the purpose of advertising, promotion, public relations and research for all stakeholders of Avocados From Mexico. Under agreements, MHAIA and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers & Packers of Mexico (APEAM) have combined resources to fund and manage Avocados From Mexico, with the intent to provide a focused, highly- effective and efficient marketing program in the United States. Avocados From Mexico is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

Sources

  1. Fresh avocados are a heart-healthy fruit. They provide naturally good fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. Source: https://avocadosfrommexico.com/avocado-nutrition/
  2. Hall & Partners Brand Tracking
  3. Hass Avocado Board Volume Data
  4. Texas A&M: The Economic Benefits of U.S. Avocado Imports from Mexico, 2022 Update
  5. Technomic: Volumetric Study, Dec 2022

View original content to download multimedia:

SOURCE Avocados From Mexico

The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

What are the positive effects of the global demand for avocados on the countries and regions that produce and export them?

However, the environmental impact of avocado farming is severe, with deforestation in Michoacán linked to criminal organizations clearing protected woodlands to expand cultivation, leading to soil erosion and water scarcity.

Title:

Content: • En
Drug lord avocado rises in Mexico, superfood wreaks ecological havoc
(Photo by Pixabay _ tookapic)
As a superfood, avocado has gained a lot of attention in recent years, and many cafes and restaurants have taken advantage of this trend, launching avocado meals and beverages. However, as the demand for avocado has increased, the cultivation of agricultural land has also expanded, which has caused ecological havoc in Mexico, the country of origin, and the rise of "avocado criminal organizations."
Avocado is native to Central America, Mexico and Peru, with Mexico ’ s largest producing region located in the southern state of Michoacán, producing 70% of the country ’ s avocado, and the neighboring state of Jalisco, producing about 11% of the country ’ s avocado. As demand for avocado grows, the cultivation of avocado spreads to other states, including Colima. and Chiapas.
However, this wave of expansion of the avocado garden has not been carefully evaluated, but under the guidance of local criminal organizations, with almost brutal methods of deforestation, the local preservation of the original forest has been completely destroyed.
According to the conservation news website Mongabay, one tree in Jalisco is illegally cut down every 75 seconds to be converted into a casserole garden, with around 1,100 trees disappearing every day.
The study found that in 2010, Jalisco ’ s avocado garden was about 0.84 million hectares, but by 2021, it has reached 27.8 million hectares, more than tripled, and nearly half of the state ’ s 56,000 hectares of agricultural land has been used to grow avocado; and correspondingly, deforestation has accelerated since 2019, at least 0.51 million hectares of woodland has become avocado, resulting in pristine acorn. A large number of forests and evergreen forests have disappeared.
Under the avocado craze, criminal organizations also sniffed business opportunities, and the notorious Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes extended his reach into the field, and his Jalisco New Generation Cartel acquired the land of local residents and transplanted the avocado to obtain huge amounts. Profit.
Locals point out that not only private land, but also protected woodlands that require official permission to convert to other crops, and that even if people report to the government that these organizations have substantial control over these areas, they end up sinking into the sea, with the result of course more virgin forest areas being destroyed.
In addition, compared to the original forest, planting avocado requires a lot of water, so after the new avocado garden is planted, it is necessary to build a large water storage tank to reserve irrigation water, which reduces the function of rainwater infiltration and local water collection.
Mexico is not a country with abundant water resources. As the number of avocado trees continues to increase, it will undoubtedly worsen the local water shortage and exacerbate political tensions.
On the other hand, there are also locals who try to coexist with the original ecology and introduce more eco-friendly avocados.
Javier Magaña Cárdenas, a avocado farmer who has long maintained the forest and helped restore the trees, said the authorities should establish a system to help identify and verify the provenance of avocados and ensure that illegal avocados are eliminated by consumers.
Already, many smallholder farmers have partnered with the Rainforest Alliance, a non-governmental organization, and around 1,500 hectares of avocado gardens in Jalisco have been certified for sustainable agriculture.
Sergio Graf Montero, head of the Jalisco Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development (SEMADET), said that as long as the demand for non-destructive avocados in the market rises, farmers will naturally choose such methods, and it is still consumers who determine the future of the ecology.
Updated: 2023-06-18 19: 38 GMT + 08: 00

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

increased criminal activity
land grabbing

Avocado farming is highly water-intensive, requiring approximately 1,000 liters of water per kilogram of fruit, which exacerbates water scarcity in regions like Chile, Peru, and Morocco.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

Socially, the rising demand for avocados has displaced indigenous communities in Mexico and led to labor exploitation, with criminal organizations using violence to control production and extort farmers.

What illegal activities have surfaced in avocado trade in recent years?

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

displacement of local communities
increased criminal activity
labor exploitation

Sustainability initiatives, such as Rainforest Alliance certifications in Mexico and green irrigation technologies in Kenya, aim to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of avocado farming.

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Certifications like Fair Trade and Global G.A.P. promote ethical labor practices, sustainable farming methods, and environmental conservation in the avocado industry.

Title:

Content: GLC Cerritos LLC hires Sustainability Director Armando Garcia - FreshFruitPortal.com

GLC Cerritos LLC hires Sustainability Director Armando Garcia

Industry Announcements More News

PRESS RELEASE

In order to enhance its sustainability efforts, GLC Cerritos LLC, the leading Jalisco avocado grower-shipper, has hired Armando Garcia as Director of Sustainability.  This newly created position will evaluate current sustainability initiatives with in the company and define a strategy for future projects.  “Cerritos has shown a strong commitment for its sustainable development over the years, which makes it a very unique company within the Mexican Avocado sector; therefore, I am very excited to undertake this new position and work to strengthen Cerritos sustainability program” commented Garcia.

Mr. Garcia most recently worked as Managing Director of the Jalisco Avocado Growers and Exporters Association (APEAJAL), where he was originally hired to develop its sustainability department.  He introduced projects with Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization, the Business Alliance for Climate, Stronger Together, and has worked on the reforestation program, and other green initiatives that APEAJAL has sponsored.

“Cerritos is known throughout the industry for their sustainability efforts.  They strive to live up to their mission “To inspire agribusiness with sustainability by producing healthy food for the world”, said Garcia pointing to such projects as the responsible recruiting initiative with Stronger Together.  The company currently farms 3000 acres of avocados, all of which are certified by Global G.A.P. and Rainforest Alliance.   The company is currently working to securen Fair Trade certification inpreparation for the 2024/25 Mexico avocado season.

Owner Saul Medina mentioned that Armando will first to a deep dive into Cerritos’ current sustainability projects, including governance, human rights, labor and environmental standards.  From there he will develop a sustainability strategy to define how these projects will continue to evolve in the future, and which others will come to bring in sustainability’s full spectrum into the company.

US division president, Giovanni Cavaletto, welcomes Armando Garcia to the team stating  “There is so much good that the Mexican avocado industry brings to the communities where we work.  Mr. Garcia is a great addition to the team to help define our sustainability strategies and share the message of these efforts with the rest of the industry.”

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What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

improving working conditions for employees

Despite its benefits, the high carbon footprint of avocados, driven by long-distance transportation and water use, underscores the need for more sustainable consumption practices.

Title:

Content: "Superfood" avocado has become one of the most popular fruits in the world due to its dense taste and wide use, but environmental awareness has risen in recent years, and due to the need for water and high carbon footprint during cultivation, some restaurants around the world have resisted avocado, replacing the ingredients used in dishes with other fruits and vegetables.
According to the Guardian and The Hill, growing avocados requires a lot of water. According to DanWatch, an independent Danish investigative media, it takes an average of 320 litres of water to grow one avocados.
In addition, thanks to the popularity of avocados around the world, the international transportation of avocados after harvest has further boosted the carbon footprint, which is estimated by Carbon Footprint Ltd to be nearly 850 grams for two avocados commonly found on supermarket shelves.
The main production area of avocado is in Central and South America, but because it is popular with North American and European consumers, the avocado has to be transported across continents when it grows.
Because the journey is too long, farmers often pick the avocado before it is ripe, and it is necessary to use temperature-controlled containers to transport the avocado, all of which push up the avocado ’ s carbon footprint.
In addition, the price of avocado has been soaring in recent years, according to Business Insider, by 2019, the Hass avocado produced in California has risen to $2.1 (about NT $58).
In recent years, the price of avocado has risen, and the cost of its cultivation and transportation has been inextricably linked, and California's casepear production has been severely affected by drought and wildfires in recent years.
Growing and distributing avocados also requires a lot of labor, and the avocados need to be transported to the ripening center first after picking them first, and then to the sales sites after adding ethylene.
Thomasina Miers, founder of the British Mexican restaurant chain, pointed out that today's strong demand for avocado around the world has caused the price of avocado to soar to the point that indigenous people in the region cannot afford it.
Realizing the environmental impact of avocados, restaurants around the world are beginning to resist them. Myers says his restaurant has replaced the cornflake sauce “avocados ” with beans, green peppers, lime, parsley, etc.
Canadian Mexican chef Aldo Camarena also introduced dipping sauces made with pumpkin seeds and tomatoes, while Irish restaurant owner JP McMahon removed the avocado from the menu, calling it “Mexico ’ s blood diamond. ”
Chefs declare war on a trendy fruit because of its enormous carbon footprint
Source: Why avocados are so expensive
End of the avocado: why chefs are ditching the unsustainable fruit
# Avocado # Superfood # Chef # Boycott # Planting

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

sustainable agricultural techniques
local sourcing

By choosing sustainably sourced or locally grown avocados, consumers can reduce environmental harm while supporting ethical farming practices and local economies.

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

sustainable agricultural techniques
local sourcing