Syrian glassblowing is an ancient craft dating back over 2000 years to Phoenician times.

Artisans in Damascus create intricate glass pieces using recycled glass and high-temperature ovens.

The skilled glassblowing craftsmen originated from Urem Al-Kubra in Aleppo, and have preserved the craft through generations.

Artisans in Damascus continue to create traditional products, like vases and hookah bottles, using classic techniques.

Glassblowing is a significant part of Syrian culture and is listed as part of UNESCO's human heritage.

UNESCO recognized glassblowing as needing urgent preservation in 2023.

Glassblowing was revived in Aleppo after liberation, offering hope for its survival.

The status of traditional glassblowing artisans in Damascus is uncertain due to modern technology and economic hardship.

Traditional glassblowing artisans in Damascus are unspecified, and Syria's traditional crafts have declined by 50% due to high costs and taxes.

Lack of support and unequal competition have driven craftsmen to close workshops and migrate abroad.

UNESCO recognized Syrian glassblowing as intangible cultural heritage to preserve the craft.

The Syrian government and UNESCO have collaborated to safeguard traditional Syrian glassblowing.

The Syrian Secretariat for Development has launched projects to preserve Syria's intangible cultural heritage, including the Levantine Rose project.

The organization works on reviving archaeological sites, heritage, and traditional crafts like glassblowing.

Syria will cooperate with UNESCO to safeguard its heritage, including glassblowing.

Syrian glassblowing is an important part of the country's cultural heritage, with preservation efforts supported by the Syrian government and UNESCO.

Syrian glassblowing is an ancient craft dating back over 2000 years to Phoenician times.

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

Artisans in Damascus create intricate glass pieces using recycled glass and high-temperature ovens.

The skilled glassblowing craftsmen originated from Urem Al-Kubra in Aleppo, and have preserved the craft through generations.

Artisans in Damascus continue to create traditional products, like vases and hookah bottles, using classic techniques.

Glassblowing is a significant part of Syrian culture and is listed as part of UNESCO's human heritage.

Title:

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 ”.

UNESCO recognized glassblowing as needing urgent preservation in 2023.

Glassblowing was revived in Aleppo after liberation, offering hope for its survival.

The status of traditional glassblowing artisans in Damascus is uncertain due to modern technology and economic hardship.

Title:

Content: 00: 00
Expo 2020 Dubai Today
Ancient Crafts Blown by Technology
T + T - normal size
Thuriyeh is the Syrian capital, Damascus, with its aesthetics, ancient walks and attractive colors.
It is filled with the cultural and societal vocabulary of distinct traditional industries, manifested in one of its prominent images by ancient professions, which have been associated with and named, since ancient times, by specific families who have practiced them.
However, these names, which are full of cultural and historical content, have become threatened by the threat of modern technology, which, with its various fields, has been “stolen ” by the descendants of the“ industrialists ” of the ancient Damascene professions.
The names of the majority of Damascene families are attributed to many of the names of traditional professions, where we find the names of families who worked in the textile professions and derivatives, including Bait al-Hayek, ropes, kattan, nouilati, maslati, Sabbagh, wool, and many more.
We also find that there are families that practiced the manufacture of shoes called Bait al-Jazmati, al-Sakafi, al-Kandarji, al-Bawabiji, Kabaqibi, while the families that practiced the profession of al-Samana, for example, Bait al-Khodari, al-Fakhani, al-Kuzbari, al-Khallati, al-Arqsoussi, al-Jabban, al-Labban, al-Zayat, and Sharabati.
The families working in the field of clothing and fabrics were named Bait al-Khayat, al-Kawa, and al-Hariri.
It is clear that these names have an important historical and social value, as they are linked to a cultural and historical component that tells the stories of the place and reflects its heritage and features of attractiveness, but it is remarkable that these nicknames, which were associated with important unique professions and were a strong indication of an influential presence. As they melt and disappear, the grandchildren abandon the origins of the craft or abandon it altogether, and they see it as useless and profitable.
This will lead in the future to the loss of a rich heritage, as Mohammed Samer al-Mahayri confirms to Al-Bayan, whose family is famous for the craft of making hodges and then boxes, hence the name, where he shows that hundreds of families in Damascus were associated with the names of professions as the city was an important commercial and economic center, pointing out that “there are many families with the same surname, but they are not related. It is not a city or a province, and one of these families is the Mahayri family, for example. ”
He pointed out that modern technology has become a real threat to an important traditional heritage component, namely the traditional crafts group, which has been abandoned by grandchildren.
Reflection
Al-Mahayri points out that the naming of families by the names of professions that were prevalent in Damascus reflected the values, culture and socio-economic level of those families.
He also explains that these crafts, together with the families, have left a great impact on the life of the Damascene community, a beautiful impact that should not be absent, and there must be specialized projects that protect and care for it by preserving the component of these traditional professions.
He continues: You find that it has developed professions and ended some professions turned owners to other professions, the barber family some of them moved to work in the soap industry and trade in the market of Bzouria, and the Arqsousi turned to carpentry also, and they originally were selling liquor, and many others.
Continuation.
In turn, Mahmoud Hamami, who insisted on challenging the waves of technological temptation and preserving the profession of his grandparents, where his family works in the profession of Damascene baths as a law graduate, but he continues to manage family-owned baths for decades, pointing out that « his brothers went to work in other professions, and this is the case of most families whose name was associated with the names of professions ».
Diversification
It is worth mentioning that the names of the Damascene families referred to are related to the variety of professions. At the level of confectionery industry, we find many family names associated with these professions, such as: Bait Ka ’ ikati, Halwani, Sukari, Knivati, Baggati.
While we find the house of Kahwaji, Hakawati, Rawi, Tetunji Tanbokji, and Arkeli.
As for the professions related to education, we find: the families of the house of the professor, the teacher, the teacher, the haja, and the osta, while the families famous for science, culture and medicine are called the house of the poet, the writer, the writer, the writer, the Arab writer, the wise, the surgeon and the case.
There are also many families that bore the name of the profession of blacksmithing, such as: Sankari, Bawabiri, Mujlakh, and Sheikh blacksmiths, while the families that made musical instruments were called the house of string, and Awad, while the families were named after the house of castles, stones and flint for those who practiced the profession of stone quarries.
There are family names associated with military professions such as: the house of the soldier, the lieutenant colonel, the soldier, and the brigadier.
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Traditional glassblowing artisans in Damascus are unspecified, and Syria's traditional crafts have declined by 50% due to high costs and taxes.

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

Lack of support and unequal competition have driven craftsmen to close workshops and migrate abroad.

UNESCO recognized Syrian glassblowing as intangible cultural heritage to preserve the craft.

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Syrian Oud on UNESCO ’ s List of Cultural Heritage
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has inscribed the Syrian oud on its list of intangible cultural heritage for its unique sound and intricately handcrafted curves.
Although the oud machine is present throughout the region, the Syrian oud is known for its pure tones and unique and harmonious sounds.
Tony Tawil, who is one of the makers of the oud, said: "Many composers whose melodies are made on the oud, they do not use a second instrument because the oud plays more than 200 maqām, which gives the mark, half the mark, a quarter of the mark, and half the mark other than the guitar, which gives you the sound and half the sound."
"When we hit the chord, the chord recoil enters the cavity and then comes back out of the holes, the chord must be accurately occupied and the wood is correct and dry until it gives more resonance and the mark comes out pure and there is purity in the chord sound," he said.
But the oud industry was hit hard by the war and economic crisis in the years that followed, with demand for musical instruments declining.
With the oud inscribed on UNESCO ’ s list of intangible cultural heritage, the Syrian Secretariat for Development will cooperate with the International Organization for the Support of Artisans in promoting and selling their products in order to preserve the industry.
Rasha Barhoum, executive assistant of the Living Heritage Program of the Syrian Secretariat for Development, said:
This year the conservation plan will be launched and in the coming years there will certainly be bigger projects. ”
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The Syrian government and UNESCO have collaborated to safeguard traditional Syrian glassblowing.

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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Aleppo Public Park

The Syrian Secretariat for Development has launched projects to preserve Syria's intangible cultural heritage, including the Levantine Rose project.

The organization works on reviving archaeological sites, heritage, and traditional crafts like glassblowing.

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after their efforts to preserve heritage and identity.
Syrian Trust for Development is a UNESCO accredited organization for another four years
© AP Photo / Jacques BrinonUNESCO
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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has renewed the accreditation of the Syrian Secretariat for Development as a non-governmental organization to play a consultative role for the next four years, for its efforts in preserving heritage and identity and developing and supporting communities bearing it.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the secretariat stressed that this role was "over many years of honest work, real experience and wide awareness of responsibility towards society, its culture and history."
The Secretariat also pointed out that its presence as an accredited consultative body in UNESCO, which contributed to the refinement of its work with Syrian communities to preserve and revive cultural heritage and supervise the preparation of nomination files for intangible cultural heritage elements to be registered on the lists of human heritage in the Organization.
Syrian Trust for Development Wins the Status of International Arbitrator in UNESCO
The Secretariat ’ s accumulated experience in the cultural field contributed to its candidacy for the Arab States Group in the UNESCO Evaluation Body, which consists of six non-governmental organizations and six experts in the field of intangible heritage, to evaluate the files nominated by Member States.
It is noteworthy that the Syrian Secretariat for Development plays its role as an accredited expert in the field of preservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage, in addition to working on the revival and rehabilitation of archaeological sites and tangible archaeological heritage, where the Secretariat explained in its statement that it plays its role directly in seven governorates: Damascus, Rif Dimashq, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Tartus, Sweida, and Latakia.: In Hasakah, Daraa, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib.
The Aleppo Cats...
A timeless musical tale and the memory of an ancient city
It is noteworthy that the Syrian Trust for Development, a Syrian non-governmental organization, was first accredited to UNESCO in 2012, and renewed in 2017, and recently in 2021, where it preceded its role in registering the Aleppo cod on the Representative List of Human Heritage at UNESCO.
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Syria will cooperate with UNESCO to safeguard its heritage, including glassblowing.

Syrian glassblowing is an important part of the country's cultural heritage, with preservation efforts supported by the Syrian government and UNESCO.


Syrian traditional glassblowing is an ancient craft that dates back over 2000 years to the Phoenician times.

The craft of glassblowing was preserved and passed down through generations in Syria, with skilled craftsmen found in areas like Urem Al-Kubra in Aleppo.

Traditional glassblowing in Syria is considered a type of plastic art form, with artisans manually blowing and shaping glass into various forms.

The craft was affected by the war in Syria, but some artisans have revived it after liberation from terrorism.

UNESCO listed traditional glassblowing as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in December 2023, recognizing its importance in Syrian culture and the need for preservation.

The listing of traditional glassblowing as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding is likely due to the craft's urgent need for preservation, as it is at risk of disappearing due to the war and economic crisis in Syria.

The Syrian Secretariat for Development has launched several projects to support Syrian intangible cultural heritage, including traditional glassblowing, although the current status of these projects is not explicitly stated.

The exact number of craftsmen currently practicing traditional glassblowing in Syria is not specified in the available documents.

Traditional professions in Syria, including glassblowing, have declined by 50% due to high costs, low demand, and insufficient profits.

The main challenges faced by traditional glassblowing artisans in Syria include lack of support, unequal competition, high prices of raw materials and energy, and migration of brokers and traders.

Efforts are being made to preserve and promote Syrian intangible cultural heritage, including traditional glassblowing, through projects and initiatives launched by the Syrian Secretariat for Development and other organizations.

The preservation of traditional glassblowing is essential to Syrian heritage, and efforts are being made to address the challenges faced by artisans and to promote the craft.

UNESCO's recognition of traditional glassblowing as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding has highlighted the need for urgent protection and conservation of the craft.

Conservation efforts, including introducing crafts to future generations, are being made to preserve traditional glassblowing and other intangible cultural heritage.

The Syrian government and other organizations are working to provide facilities and support to reduce costs and help craftsmen preserve their traditional crafts, including glassblowing.

Financial grants are provided to artisans to preserve traditional crafts, and young generations are trained to master traditional crafts, including glassblowing.

Exhibitions help market handmade products and preserve heritage, which can contribute to the preservation of traditional glassblowing.

Training is provided to develop traditional crafts and suit modern times, which can help glassblowing artisans adapt to changing market conditions.

The importance of Syrian traditional glassblowing in the country's culture is evident in its inclusion in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The craft's history, cultural significance, and current status all contribute to its recognition as a valuable part of Syria's cultural heritage.

The Syrian Secretariat for Development's efforts to preserve and promote Syrian intangible cultural heritage, including traditional crafts like glassblowing, are crucial for maintaining the country's cultural identity and diversity.

Syrian traditional glassblowing is an ancient craft that dates back over 2000 years to the Phoenician times.

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 craft of glassblowing was preserved and passed down through generations in Syria, with skilled craftsmen found in areas like Urem Al-Kubra in Aleppo.

Traditional glassblowing in Syria is considered a type of plastic art form, with artisans manually blowing and shaping glass into various forms.

The craft was affected by the war in Syria, but some artisans have revived it after liberation from terrorism.

UNESCO listed traditional glassblowing as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in December 2023, recognizing its importance in Syrian culture and the need for preservation.

The listing of traditional glassblowing as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding is likely due to the craft's urgent need for preservation, as it is at risk of disappearing due to the war and economic crisis in Syria.

The Syrian Secretariat for Development has launched several projects to support Syrian intangible cultural heritage, including traditional glassblowing, although the current status of these projects is not explicitly stated.

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

The exact number of craftsmen currently practicing traditional glassblowing in Syria is not specified in the available documents.

Traditional professions in Syria, including glassblowing, have declined by 50% due to high costs, low demand, and insufficient profits.

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

The main challenges faced by traditional glassblowing artisans in Syria include lack of support, unequal competition, high prices of raw materials and energy, and migration of brokers and traders.

Efforts are being made to preserve and promote Syrian intangible cultural heritage, including traditional glassblowing, through projects and initiatives launched by the Syrian Secretariat for Development and other organizations.

Title:

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 ”.

The preservation of traditional glassblowing is essential to Syrian heritage, and efforts are being made to address the challenges faced by artisans and to promote the craft.

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
Follow SANA news on Telegram https: / / t.me / SyrianArabNewsAgency
Look, too.
Aleppo Public Park

UNESCO's recognition of traditional glassblowing as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding has highlighted the need for urgent protection and conservation of the craft.

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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Conservation efforts, including introducing crafts to future generations, are being made to preserve traditional glassblowing and other intangible cultural heritage.

Title:

Content: Friday, 29 March 2024 02: 55 GMT
Dubai Culture reveals the secrets of handicrafts
(MENAFN- Al-Bayan)
The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is offering a series of cultural experiences and workshops to visitors to the Heritage Centre for Traditional Handicrafts, the educational arm of the Shindagha Museum, the largest heritage museum in the UAE, through the introduction workshop program. It aims to highlight the importance of crafts and their role in enhancing the power of cultural and creative industries, and raise the level of awareness among members of the community and motivate them to maintain and preserve them, in line with the Commission ’ s commitments to enhance the presence of local heritage on the global map.
Expertise & Skills
Through its program, the center focuses on seven traditional crafts presented in workshops supervised by a group of experts and specialists in heritage, crafts and heritage products industry, in order to introduce future generations to the nature of these crafts and provide them with the experiences, skills and knowledge that enable them to know their methods and types and their presence in the community memory. Hmm. Hmm.
The program includes a workshop (Silver Industry) aimed at training school and university students and visitors on ways to deal with silver pieces and turn them into thin sheets that can be formed in simple and modern ways within innovative designs to be used in daily life. The workshop (Saafiyat) highlights the creativity of Emirati women and their ability to use the remnants of the palm tree in the production of various forms of pots, baskets, bags and small hand fans.
Through the workshop, visitors will learn how to deal with palm fronds and color them and adapt them in various forms that highlight the aesthetics of this craft and its accuracy.
New Designs
The list includes a workshop ((Dakhon and Perfumes)), where visitors will discover the secrets of making Dakhon using Oud, Amber, Musk and Rose Water, in addition to the types of essential oils and their sources and ways of mixing them to create fragrances and scents. In the workshop (Burqa Loan), they will learn about the types of burqa, their designs, ways of weaving and materials used in them. They will have the opportunity to create new designs inspired by the traditional burqa, which is a component of traditional folk costumes and decorations used by women in the past.
Throughout the centre, masterpieces of the traditional ‘ tali ’ craft, which Dubai Culture has inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, stand out as part of its efforts to preserve and protect the ‘ tali ’ practiced by Emirati women in their homes to produce embroidered pieces to decorate the ends of women ’ s clothing.
The workshop aims to highlight the importance of this craft and its place in the community as a component of the local cultural heritage.
On the other hand, the Heritage Center for Traditional and Handicrafts provides the public with the opportunity to explore the craft of (Qaraqir industry), its sizes, types of materials used in it, its development and methods of use in the fishing process, while the workshop ((Ropes industry)) shows the methods of making old ropes based on fiber taken from the palm.
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The Syrian government and other organizations are working to provide facilities and support to reduce costs and help craftsmen preserve their traditional crafts, including glassblowing.

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The hands of the Aleppo coppers do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
© Sputnik.
Suhaib amrayaAleppo copper hands do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
Follow us via
EXCLUSIVE
“Copper is the brother of gold, its value is preserved, increases and does not decrease, no matter how high its price is. ”
With these words, the Septuagint craftsman, Mahmoud Haj Mustafa, demonstrates the status of his heritage and his passion for his copper works, which, according to him, “are jewelled whenever they are emancipated as ‘ the daughter of assets ’. ”
Hajj Mustafa, one of the few Karar sheikhs left in the “copper market ” heritage city of Aleppo, after the migration of the majority of his craftsmen during the war years, and the subsequent American siege, the heritage professions were the first victims, in addition to the death of a number of the most skilled craftsmen by age, leaving only a few trying by all means to preserve this heritage craft and prevent it from disappearing.
The craftsman Haj Mustafa speaks to Sputnik with a lot of love and passion about his profession, which he did not inherit from his grandfather and father, but learned as a hobby to become day after day, part of his life and the only source of his blue.
© Sputnik.
Suhaib amrayaAleppo copper hands do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The hands of the Aleppo coppers do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
Sheikh Al-Karar said:
I began to learn the craft of copper since I was ten years old, possessed by its arts and engravings, and when I gained sufficient experience opened my own shop in the copper market, which is more than 400 years old, I spent 54 years, lived with it the most beautiful days, and I transferred my love for this craft to my children.
Restoration operations in the copper market in Aleppo have been delayed until now, so that its craftsmen describe it as the “forgotten market ”, in fact, although it has received a large share of the effects of the Syrian crisis, but it remains less destructive compared to the markets around it, which forced the sheikhs of hate to do their work in their old shops for fear that“ their hands will rust ”. And you can't live without him.
The kids are coming back.
The craftsman Haj Mustafa is one of the professionals who worked with copper by hand engraving, but he confirms that the introduction of modern machines has been a great advantage in the development of this craft and save time and effort.
© Sputnik.
Suhaib amrayaAleppo copper hands do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The hands of the Aleppo coppers do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
Haj Mustafa recalls the years before the start of the crisis that hit Aleppo ’ s heritage markets in particular: “The market was full of customers since the early morning, to the extent that the visitor may become“ deaf ” from the frequent methods of craftsmen on copper tools and the noise of negotiating prices between customers and sellers, which is a sign of good health. ”
Despite the stagnant copper market, the Aleppo craftsman is optimistic about the improvement of his conditions in the coming days, stressing "the need to preserve the copper market and return to its previous era, Aleppo was and will remain the mother of heritage industry and oriental, and this is achieved by teaching this craft to future generations to protect this heritage profession.
© Sputnik.
Suhaib amrayaAleppo copper hands do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The hands of the Aleppo coppers do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
Due to the harsh conditions imposed by the American siege on the Syrian people, and the disruption of livelihoods inside the country, the children rushed to seek a livelihood to support them and their parents, and scattered in the neighboring countries near and far.
"My son had to travel to Lebanon and work there, but he will return to Aleppo," said the craftsman, "and with a mixture of confident hope, Haj Mustafa confirms that his son:" He will work with this craft in the copper market, completing my career, especially when teaching his children the arts of this authentic heritage. "
The brass don't rust.
The ancient craftsman said that the coppers do not rust, like the copper they work, and therefore they persevere in their work in all circumstances.
“If the coppers don ’ t rust, what about the customers, ” Sputnik asks, and the craftsman responds by stressing that those who say that the copper pieces turned into decorative pieces after being too expensive, because in his opinion, the market still requires this type of work, which is used for daily use, especially in the countryside, restaurants, confectionery shops, hotels, religious centers and other places that prefer to use copper over aluminum.
© Sputnik.
Suhaib amrayaAleppo copper hands do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The hands of the Aleppo coppers do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
There are other opinions that sense the great decline in the acquisition of copper, as Ahmed Haj Omar, a 40-year-old craftsman who inherited his profession from a grandfather, asserts that the state of stagnation and the difficult economic reality made copper pieces of decoration and heritage exhibits only.
He called on the Syrian government to provide electricity regularly to the workshops and shops of the copper market in Aleppo, to reduce costs and increase production and lighting at night for fear of theft.
An overwhelming nostalgia before the war.
The craftsman Yahya al-Nahhas, who took his family name from the copper profession and most of his family work in it, longs for the old days, when dozens of customers waiting in front of his shop since the early morning to secure their orders of copper tools needed for their daily lives and seasons.
© Sputnik.
Suhaib amrayaAleppo copper hands do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The hands of the Aleppo coppers do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The copper craftsman works with three of his brothers and his son in this craft, and he believes that it will return to the glory it was before the war, unlike these days, when the demands have subsided due to war conditions, purchasing power and the cutting of roads between the countryside and the city.
To compensate for the decline in sales, the copper craftsman often has to go to the countryside himself after agreeing with families who want to repair and restore the copper tools they have, to preserve his blueness and protect the endangered copper profession.
Al-Nahhas believes that the responsibility of maintaining this craft is also the responsibility of the Syrian government, as it is supposed to provide facilities that reduce costs on craftsmen, and contribute to increasing production, which decreased with the large rise in copper prices, stressing that a small copper pile is costing millions of pounds, he said.
Coming back soon for the craftsmen.
The return of the copper market to its former condition depends on the return of its people, according to the opinion of the craftsman Abdul Rahman al-Nahas, confirming to "Sputnik" that this is around the corner.
© Sputnik.
Suhaib amrayaAleppo copper hands do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The hands of the Aleppo coppers do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The copper craftsman proves his point by revealing that a number of craftsmen residing in Turkey have contacted him to help them renovate their shops and reopen them, especially after the establishment of the last province of Kayseri, and this will have a direct positive impact on the state of this historic market, he asserts.
Fathers and Sons
The copper market, located between the iron gates and the victory, includes more than 100 shops, some of which have not been restored, the effects of the disastrous years are still strongly present, but the remaining craftsmen took the initiative to rehabilitate and open their shops despite the destruction of the heritage market, while other shops remained closed until now, after the migration of the largest number of craftsmen, leaving only 10 craftsmen trying each way to revive the copper market.
© Sputnik.
Suhaib amrayaAleppo copper hands do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The hands of the Aleppo coppers do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The craftsman Abdul Wahab Habash, who inherited the copper trade from his father, who is known as one of the sheikhs of Hirha, speaks of Sputnik teaching his 14-year-old son to keep his “son and career together, ” he says, and to form a beautiful painting that confirms that this craft survives despite all obstacles and difficult circumstances.
The craftsman Habash said:
“This profession must be learned from a young age, not waiting until the age of youth. I participated in training a number of young people in cooperation with local and international organizations, but unfortunately, none of them completed it, especially since there is no desire and love for this craft, so it is preferable to learn it from a young age by organizing training courses and incorporating it with other traditional crafts in the school curriculum. ”
Export to Europe
Habash draws attention to the changing skills of the craft between the past and the present: “Previously, it was based on decoration and manual formation, and the craftsmen performed their work carefully and accurately, resulting in high quality, but in the 1990s the introduction of the machine transformed this profession, which contributed to the acceleration of production and quantities at the expense of quality, depending on the purchasing power of citizens, especially during difficult years. ”
© Sputnik.
Suhaib amrayaAleppo copper hands do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
The hands of the Aleppo coppers do not rust..
And their heritage is jeweled like gold.
“Today, very few can afford to buy copper tools, so the craftsman has to make them of varying quality, so that the customer can replace them every once in a while depending on his financial ability. ”
Despite this, Habash stresses that there is a good buying movement for copper artifacts made in Aleppo, both in the domestic and foreign market, specifically to European countries after the increase in the number of Syrian and Arab communities.
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Financial grants are provided to artisans to preserve traditional crafts, and young generations are trained to master traditional crafts, including glassblowing.

Exhibitions help market handmade products and preserve heritage, which can contribute to the preservation of traditional glassblowing.

Training is provided to develop traditional crafts and suit modern times, which can help glassblowing artisans adapt to changing market conditions.

The importance of Syrian traditional glassblowing in the country's culture is evident in its inclusion in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The craft's history, cultural significance, and current status all contribute to its recognition as a valuable part of Syria's cultural heritage.

The Syrian Secretariat for Development's efforts to preserve and promote Syrian intangible cultural heritage, including traditional crafts like glassblowing, are crucial for maintaining the country's cultural identity and diversity.

Title:

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