Syria’s glassblowing is over 2,000 years old, tracing to Phoenician times.

Syrian craftsmen invented glassblowing in the 1st century BC, with historic centers in Sidon, Aleppo, Hama, and Palmyra.

In Damascus, artisans hand-shape recycled glass melted in high-temperature ovens to make decorative items like hookah bottles and vases using inherited methods.

The technique heats sand, gathers molten glass, and shapes it with tools at about 1,100°C.

Many workshops use 100% recycled glass and frit, continuing Roman tool traditions.

Masters like Yassin Arab and Hussein Najjar, each with 40 years of manual work, show the skill and dedication the craft demands.

Urem Al-Kubra in Aleppo is known for skilled glassblowers who revived production after liberation.

Glassblowing is an important part of Syrian cultural identity and heritage.

Traditional crafts like glassblowing contributed an estimated 40–50% to Syria's economy before 2011.

War and terrorism have caused destruction, closures, and production and sales problems, leaving the craft precarious.

Economic decline and lack of support have forced many craftsmen to stop production or close workshops.

Migration of craftsmen and traders has accelerated the decline of traditional crafts.

Traditional crafts in Syria have declined by about 50%, with no accurate figures available for remaining skilled glassblowers.

UNESCO added Syrian glassblowing to its urgent safeguarding list in 2023, citing its historical value and threatened continuity.

The urgent safeguarding status reflects war-related damage and economic pressures endangering the craft's survival.

The listing aims to preserve endangered traditions and skills, mobilizing support for safeguarding measures.

Current preservation efforts include exhibitions, training initiatives, and programs led by the Ministry of Culture and other organizations.

Artisans in Damascus and other cities continue to pass down techniques, keeping the ancient craft alive.

Syria’s glassblowing is over 2,000 years old, tracing to Phoenician times.

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Experts: West obstructs early recovery program in Syria
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Wasel HmeidaThe electoral machine rages on the streets of Damascus as the parliamentary due date approaches
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EXCLUSIVE
Political and economic researcher Dr. Abdelkader Azouz said that early recovery is an approach that addresses recovery needs during the humanitarian response phase through the use of humanitarian mechanisms that are consistent with development principles.
Early recovery projects aim to move from emergency and immediate humanitarian needs – effectively life-saving assistance – to a more sustainable development phase after conflict or disaster, which is less than reconstruction in terms of duration and funding, he said.
Dr. Azzouz added that the UN is interested in early recovery projects, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs established the Early Recovery Group in 2017, and many resolutions were passed in the Security Council 2585 / 2642 / 2672 urging donor governments to increase support, pointing out that Syria always stresses the need to support early recovery projects because they work to improve the humanitarian situation in a tangible and sustainable way....
The West seeks to block “early recovery ”
Dr. Azzouz pointed out that in the recent period, Western countries seek to obstruct any trend towards the implementation of early recovery projects through pressure on the issue of lack of funding, because there is a tendency towards politicizing this issue and deviating from international humanitarian principles that emphasize neutrality, impartiality and independence.
No regional maturation
Dr. Mohammed Akram Al-Qash, Director of the Center for Research and Strategic Studies at the University of Damascus, said that there are indicators at the Arab and regional levels, or some kind of preparations to break the regional and international inter-contract, but within these current circumstances (what is happening today in Gaza and the Arab region), the conditions for achieving early recovery remain immature regionally.
He added: At the local level, there are systematic arrangements to arrange the internal house, and the adoption of development policies that will be the basis for any kind of movement towards Syria and support it to overcome what happened in it previously.
Syria...
One soldier killed and three others injured in Israeli air aggression
The stability of Syria is the basis of regional stability
Dr. Al-Qash pointed out that the stability of Syria is the basis for the stability of the region, as regional and Arab efforts seek to restore stability to Syria, because this is in the interest of the whole region, and there are very big dilemmas that must be overcome regionally and internationally, foremost of which is the unjust siege or coercive economic measures.
They don ’ t want stability back in Syria.
He pointed out that this program is divided into four stages: First: the completion of the stage of response to basic needs, restoration of infrastructure and support of the productive process to move to the stage of recovery, which is a kind of integrated economic, social and administrative policies, to complete the construction of all infrastructure, especially energy. Electricity, water, roads and transportation have all been affected by the war, i.e. the restoration of infrastructure to make the production process complete.
He explained that the program faltered despite the almost end of the military war, but launched an economic war on Syria through siege and coercive measures, which greatly affect the completion of the recovery phase.
He pointed out that the international efforts were limited to relief, meeting only about a third of the needs, and a large part of the funding went to the workers of aid organizations.
He pointed out that planning for early recovery in Syria means that there is a possibility to complete international support for infrastructure projects, especially in the field of energy, especially in light of the occupation in the north of the areas of energy and oil in Syria, and even in the field of water, as we find in Hasakah more than a million citizens suffer from lack of water and drinking water.
Dispersal, fragmentation and politicization of financial support
Dr. Al-Qash said that the international framework for the early recovery process in Syria was absent, and the parties were intransigent and not convinced, or not in favor of it, the key and basis for this process, to be the discourse with the official legitimate government institutions, pointing out that the scattering, fragmentation and politicization of material support in the past stage did not serve Syria.
Syria...
One soldier killed and three others injured in Israeli air aggression
The government has 90 early recovery projects.
He pointed out that Syria has developed its plans and programs for recovery, there are more than 90 existing projects that lack funding, pointing out that one of the expected logistical measures in this area is to have an international fund that is not politicized, and to be supported by official government institutions, and we have no objection to the presence of experts and technicians, who oversee the process of programs prepared by the government more than 5 years ago. It is transparent and depends on need and necessity, to drive the development process and reach the stage of recovery and then sustainability.
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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

Syrian craftsmen invented glassblowing in the 1st century BC, with historic centers in Sidon, Aleppo, Hama, and Palmyra.

Title:

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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In Damascus, artisans hand-shape recycled glass melted in high-temperature ovens to make decorative items like hookah bottles and vases using inherited methods.

The technique heats sand, gathers molten glass, and shapes it with tools at about 1,100°C.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Rhik Samadder tries … glassblowing: ‘My tendons are burning – and it’s nothing to do with the glory hole’

The heat is intense, and the craft is tricky to master – but what’s really alarming is that no one acknowledges how rude this looks

Mon 6 Sep 2021 02.00 EDT

My red-hot sausage is drooping dangerously. This isn’t an ’Allo ’Allo!-style wartime code; I’m turning a floppy oblong of molten glass on an iron stick, trying to stop it falling on the floor. The heat is intense, but what’s really alarming is that no one acknowledges how rude this looks. Our instructor, KT, is too refined to countenance such imbecility. The spitting image of Julie Hagerty, she keeps urging me to “re-centre!” like a yoga teacher who works in hell. Supporting her today is Phil Gumn, an ex-powerlifting champion who works as a floorer. Surely he’s up for some innuendo? “The amazing thing is these tools are the same ones the Romans used,” he enthuses. I guess not.

He’s not wrong, though. While it’s absurd to describe a material that humans have worked with since 2000BC as “having a moment”, the success of the Netflix reality show Blown Away means it might well be. I had assumed this obviously dangerous art to be beyond the reach of hobbyists, yet apparently anyone can have a go at glassblowing, so I’ve come to The Glass Hub in Wiltshire, where I’ve discovered I’m rubbish at it.

In a furnace behind me, a crucible of molten glass bubbles like the chambers of Mount Doom. I’ve already been shown how to “gather” this liquid, like honey, on to a red-hot iron. I’m now sitting on a wooden throne, turning my gather constantly with one hand and using enormous smithing tools – jacks, blocks, files – to sculpt it with the other. There’s only a short window of time for this delicate work, as the material is always cooling to a fragile solidity. At the same time, the heat of the iron is beginning to burn through my safety glove and Kevlar sleeve. Random chance, or a slight gust of wind, could introduce an invisible crack that later destroys the entire work. The process is ridiculous, like making candy floss for masochists.

It is also magical, alchemical. In the workshop next door, sculptures of frozen intricacy are arrayed, all the more impressive for their elemental origin. Who knew you could pinch glass into shape like caramel then, 30 seconds later, file it like metal? It’s thrilling to walk a burning spear around, occasionally thrusting it into a 1,100C furnace to keep it pliable (a step known as “flashing in the glory hole” … don’t get me started).

KT interrupts my reverie to demonstrate a pulling technique. Using jacks to pinch and elongate the glass at intervals, she forms a wand of bulbous swells. “We call this the caterpillar,” she says. I examine the obscene icicle. “Is a caterpillar what it most resembles?” I ask. No one wants to say. Maybe I’m going mad.

I coat my sticky blob in delicious-looking frit: coloured glass, ground to the consistency of sprinkles. I’m wondering how this turns into a vase. My situation is made worse by the presence of Miri, another novice, but clearly a natural. Of our two blobs, hers has genuinely interesting form. When I later make a bird, she crafts a bird of paradise. When two tutors are employed to help me roll my iron in a straight line – that’s four hands, six including mine – I decide competitiveness is an outdated attitude.

Then we get to, yes, blowing. KT shows us how to exhale through the iron like a blowpipe, expanding a bubble inside the glass. It’s a bonkers sensation. Honestly, what even is glass? As an experiment, I over-blow one to shattering point. The material is so thin, like a soap bubble, I can crumble it in my hands. (The tiny pieces are known as confetti, although perhaps don’t chuck it around at a wedding.) Returning to my frit-infused, blown gather, I score a line off the top of the iron and tap. The cool object falls off, birthing itself on a bed of sawdust. Congratulations! It’s a vase. To me, it’s a miracle.

The gas furnace is constant, the irons are heavy, people work at speed. Yet I never feel unsafe here. It’s a creative, encouraging atmosphere. The traditionally macho, unecological culture of glassblowing is changing, notes Gumn. The Glass Hub is female-owned and uses 100% recycled glass in its workshops, as well as an efficient, portable furnace of KT’s own design. It’s a privilege to join these blacksmiths of the angels, hoisting my own sorcerer’s staff. Don’t we all want to play with fire?

It’s tiring, though, the constant turning of the iron. My tendons are burning – and it’s nothing to do with the glory hole. I have to stop. KT is making a bauble. “Can you give me a bench blow?” she asks. “Just a gentle one.” Oh come on, I think. I get on my knees and blow delicately down the tube, moving my head side to side, as she rolls the iron back and forth. Oxygen is all I’m good for, but at least I’m involved. I try one last time to lower the tone. The caterpillar, I say. She rolls her eyes, but concedes. “The real money in glasswork is bongs and dildos. Sex and drugs, right?” I may be rubbish, but I’ve not been gaslighting myself. I’m counting this as a triumph.

There be monsters

While still a teen, KT left her native Loch Ness and travelled around the US, Italy and Switzerland, learning techniques from different glassblowing masters, like a samurai legend. At that age, I wasn’t allowed to go to Leicester Square.

Smugness Points

Strong. But fragile. 5/5

Many workshops use 100% recycled glass and frit, continuing Roman tool traditions.

Masters like Yassin Arab and Hussein Najjar, each with 40 years of manual work, show the skill and dedication the craft demands.

Urem Al-Kubra in Aleppo is known for skilled glassblowers who revived production after liberation.

Glassblowing is an important part of Syrian cultural identity and heritage.

Title:

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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Look, too.
Aleppo Public Park

Traditional crafts like glassblowing contributed an estimated 40–50% to Syria's economy before 2011.

Title:

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

War and terrorism have caused destruction, closures, and production and sales problems, leaving the craft precarious.

Title:

Content: Craftsman Basmaji: The adaptation and formulation of silver shows the aesthetic of manual work
Hasaka-Sana
In one of the corners of the goldsmith market in the center of the city of Hasakah, the craftsman Maroun Basmaji sits inside his small shop, between his simple equipment and his silver products, which he uses with high skill and fine craftsmanship shows the beauty of the traditional and modern silver work.
Speaking to SANA reporter Ben Basmaji, he said that he is still committed to this profession, which he loves and innovates in manufacturing for about 30 years, through his work in one of the goldsmiths shops specialized in silver, and it is popular with the people of the region, especially that the majority of these jewels are given as gifts mainly due to the high prices of gold, and because they carry in some pieces aesthetic especially for manual work.
He added: There is a great demand for the so-called dabba, a piece of silver or gold that is usually acquired by elderly women, in addition to the manufacture of ornaments decorated with bells, and is purchased for children at the beginning of their first steps as a kind of pampering, and there are also various jewelry, including what is youth, specifically pieces that adorn the neck and what hangs from the ear, in addition to some pieces.
Basmaji pointed to some of the difficulties faced by the profession during the past years, as the market was completely closed due to the repercussions of the war on Syria and terrorist attacks, which affected production and stopped manufacturing, but today with the return of security and stability Basmaji expressed his optimism about the recovery of many industries and crafts.
Basmaji stressed that he is committed to working in this craft no matter what happens, motivating his colleagues in the profession not to give in to the circumstances and follow up their production to encourage the new artisan youth also to be artistic and creative in this field.
Joanne Belt
Follow SANA news on Telegram https: / / t.me / SyrianArabNewsAgency

Title:

Content: Lifestyle
« Mamoun » Syrian old man revives heritage pieces with traditional machines: the lathe is part of my soul
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Cairo - Samar Hussein - Males Only
In one of the still vibrant Syrian cities, the old man sits bent over to make heritage pieces. Amoun, a 70-year-old barber, still revives the heritage of his beloved country in the capital Damascus. Although the war lost him his old shop and workshop, one of his friends honored his hospitality with a small workshop where he makes his simple works to continue the work he used to do since his childhood.
Unique heritage pieces with a hand filled with the veins of old age
He did not despair of his profession and was not hindered by his old age or the war, the old man is still eager to make more heritage pieces, which express the Syrian beauty that still lives amid the war that destroyed many cities, Mamoun Barber works according to his story to Sky News in heritage pieces since his childhood, saying: "The lathe is my soul existed before my birth and my children Bardo my soul, but I love my work and make heritage pieces It ’ s like a coffee grinder and a small hookah, so that whoever takes them knows where to find them easily. ”
As for the pieces themselves, the old man said, they are purely local heritage products, such as Al-Mahbaj and others: “A visitor can buy a piece of these ancient Syrian products, which are deeply rooted in our ancient cultural roots and take them with him. ”
He had his workshop in the war, and his friend gave him his shop.
Before Mamoun moved to Damascus, he had a workshop that included thousands of beautiful heritage pieces, but he lost them in the war. However, he did not give up and decided to resort to his friend, who gave him his shop to make new pieces and display them in exhibitions. In spite of the pain, and in spite of all that trouble, there is no financial reward for the work: “God is your agent, sometimes I have to put it out of my pocket, ” but the lathe is not complete, and yet he makes his piece very professionally.
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Economic decline and lack of support have forced many craftsmen to stop production or close workshops.

Migration of craftsmen and traders has accelerated the decline of traditional crafts.

Traditional crafts in Syria have declined by about 50%, with no accurate figures available for remaining skilled glassblowers.

UNESCO added Syrian glassblowing to its urgent safeguarding list in 2023, citing its historical value and threatened continuity.

Title:

Content: Red Sea Festival in Jeddah
Arab culture in 2023.
Achievements and Creations
The year 2023 witnessed a large number of important cultural events in the Arab world. In addition to the periodic film, theater and visual festivals and book fairs, there was a real presence of creative ideas and new initiatives not witnessed in the cultural arena in previous years.
The sixth edition of the Cultural Summit was held in Manarat Al Saadiyat under the theme ‘ A Matter of Time ’, to explore how culture is changing the world ’ s perception of time, alongside the Al Hosn Festival, which documents the heritage of this ancient city.
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, one of the top 10 literary festivals around the world, also kicked off in Dubai, UAE, and hosted more than 260 writers, creators and thought leaders from around the world and the Arab world in more than 300 events covering all topics, such as literature, arts, culture and more.
Saudi Arabia launched the Culture Index in the Islamic World project, which monitors the transformation of the cultural landscape and its development and documents its achievements in Islamic countries within four dimensions and axes: “Culture for Economic Development, Culture for Environment, Climate and Resilience, Culture for Social Development, and Culture for Openness and Diversity. ”
Red Sea Film Festival selects 17 films for its official competition
The Red Sea International Film Festival (RIFF), the first international film festival in Saudi Arabia, was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in early December. In addition to film screenings and competitions, the festival will feature “Talent Days ”, which will provide specialized discussion sessions and orientation workshops for filmmakers who are passionate about learning the craft and enhancing their skills and artistic tools.
In the context of cinema, the year 2023 witnessed Arab participation in a number of film festivals, most notably the Cannes Film Festival, which witnessed the culmination of three Arab films in the "Some Look" competition dedicated to encouraging young talents in the field of film.
The Moroccan film "Hunting Dogs" by Kamal Lazrak won the jury award, the Moroccan director Asma Al-Mader won the directing award for her documentary "White Lie", while the Sudanese film "Goodbye Julia" by Mohamed Kordafani won the freedom award, the first participation of a Sudanese film in this prestigious festival.
At the Berlin Film Festival, the Lebanese film “Yarqa ” for the sisters Michel and Manuel Ksarwani won the“ Golden Bear for Best Short Film ”, while the Yemeni director Amr Jamal ’ s “The Tired ” won the Amnesty International Human Rights Award at the same festival.
In the field of literature, the winning of the Iraqi novelist Firat al-Ani Award for Arabic Literature, presented by the Jean-Luc Lagardère Foundation and the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, for his novel “I Remember Fallujah ”. Similarly, the Omani novelist Zahran Al Qasimi won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction“ Poker ” for his novel “Taghriba Al Qaffer ”. The novel.
In an earlier interview with Erm News...
How did Zahran Al Qasimi predict that his novel would win poker?
Continuing the literary prizes, Ashraf Ashmawy of Egypt won two prizes from Katara of Qatar, while Mohammed Al Yahyaei of Oman won the prize for his novel “The War ”.
As for the intangible cultural heritage, the inclusion of the Syrian glass blowing element on UNESCO ’ s lists of urgent conservation is a milestone achieved by Damascus.
The losses of Arab creators remain a milestone in the scene, including, for example, the Lebanese composer Elie Choueiri, the Syrian novelist Khaled Khalifa, and the pioneer of children ’ s literature in Egypt Yacoub Sharouni.
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Erm News
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The urgent safeguarding status reflects war-related damage and economic pressures endangering the craft's survival.

The listing aims to preserve endangered traditions and skills, mobilizing support for safeguarding measures.

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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Current preservation efforts include exhibitions, training initiatives, and programs led by the Ministry of Culture and other organizations.

Title:

Content: The news tape.
The aroma of roses reeks in the Arab Cultural Center in Abu Rummaneh
Damascus-Sana
The Directorate of Culture of Damascus, in cooperation with Dummar Central Incubator for Craft Arts, organized today a seminar entitled “Extraction of essential and plant oils and perfume design ” at the Arab Cultural Center in Abu Rummaneh.
The seminar was presented by the trainer Mohammed Mazen Zakour and included an exhibition of various traditional handicraft products within the plan of the Ministry of Culture to support and encourage craftsmen.
The head of the General Union of Craftsmen, Naji al-Hadwa, said in a statement that traditional crafts are a treasure we possess and reflect the quality of the Syrian worker's professionalism through what he produces and the duty of the General Union of Craftsmen to preserve and develop it, including the establishment of such kind of exhibitions and seminars, which may be framed within the productive institutions owned by the General Union or in partnership with other ministries such as the Ministry of Culture.
Al-Hadwa stressed that the General Union is following up within its plan to qualify and train cadres on an ongoing basis to maintain these crafts as well as create promotional and marketing opportunities for them through the establishment of such events.
Amani Frog
Follow SANA news on Telegram https: / / t.me / SyrianArabNewsAgency
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Sight of the Spirit Spreads their Creativity in Jadak Al Ghaith on a Cultural Theater in Kafarsousa - Video
Damascus-SANA With their vision, they mastered the arts of playing, singing, reciting poetry, acting and with their delicate emotions.

Title:

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

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

Artisans in Damascus and other cities continue to pass down techniques, keeping the ancient craft alive.