Syrian traditional glassblowing is an artisanal craft that dates back over 2000 years to Phoenician times, and it is considered a type of plastic art.

The craft originated in Syria in the 1st century BC, with Syrian craftsmen inventing glassblowing in cities such as Sidon, Aleppo, Hama, and Palmyra.

The technique of glassblowing remains essentially the same today, with glass being made by heating sand to high temperatures and shaped using a blow pole and tools.

Glassblowing is an important part of Syria's cultural heritage, with the craft being passed down from generation to generation, and artisans learning the craft manually from a young age.

The craft is also considered an important part of Syria's intangible cultural heritage, with UNESCO listing it as such in 2023.

However, the traditional glassblowing craft in Syria is facing challenges, with the war affecting the craft and many artisans struggling to continue their work.

The number of craftsmen practicing traditional glassblowing in Syria has declined due to high production costs, lack of support, and unequal competition.

Despite these challenges, there are initiatives to preserve and promote the traditional glassblowing craft in Syria, including training programs for young people and financial grants for craftsmen.

Some initiatives also aim to integrate modern technologies and innovative techniques into the traditional craft, while preserving its traditional aspects.

The application of modernization methodology can develop new horizons for some markets of technical industries, including the glass industry.

Modern methods such as molding and stamping can increase efficiency in traditional industries, including glassblowing.

However, the introduction of modern technologies also poses a threat to traditional Syrian crafts, including glassblowing, with some fearing that it may lead to the decline of the craft.

Efforts are necessary to protect and care for traditional Syrian professions, including glassblowing, and to preserve the country's cultural heritage.

The Syrian government and other organizations are urged to provide support and resources to help preserve the traditional glassblowing craft and other traditional industries.

The preservation of Syrian glassblowing heritage is urgently needed, and initiatives such as exhibitions and training programs can help to promote and preserve the craft.

Exhibitions and seminars can also help to introduce traditional Syrian crafts, including glassblowing, to a wider audience and to promote their importance in Syrian culture.

Overall, the traditional glassblowing craft in Syria is an important part of the country's cultural heritage, and efforts are needed to preserve and promote it, while also integrating modern technologies and innovative techniques to ensure its continued survival.

UNESCO listed Syrian glassblowing as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding in December 2023, recognizing its importance and the need for urgent protection.

The listing of Syrian glassblowing as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding is due to the risk of extinction and the need to protect this ancient craft, which is an important part of Syrian cultural heritage.

The Syrian government has supported the craft by liberating areas where artisans can restore and practice their craft.

However, there is no specific information available on the current number of craftsmen practicing traditional glassblowing in Syria.

UNESCO has launched appeals to combat the illicit trafficking of Syrian cultural property and has created a special fund to preserve World Heritage properties in Syria, but specific urgent safeguarding measures for Syrian traditional glassblowing are not mentioned.

The Syrian government has reported restoring several archaeological sites and monuments, including the Abu al-Fida archaeological school and the Aleppo Citadel entrance, but its specific support for UNESCO's efforts to protect traditional glassblowing is not clear.

The Syrian Secretariat for Development has refined its work with Syrian communities and has prepared nomination files for intangible heritage, including the registration of the Aleppo cod on UNESCO's Representative List.

Syria has also participated in international efforts to preserve cultural heritage, including the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies, and has been elected vice-president of the UNESCO Convention.

Despite these efforts, there is no specific information available on the urgent safeguarding measures being implemented by UNESCO to protect Syrian traditional glassblowing or the specific support being provided by the Syrian government.

The importance of Syrian glassblowing in Syria's culture is evident in its recognition as an intangible cultural heritage element, and efforts are being made to preserve and promote this traditional craft.

The Levant region, where Syria is located, has the oldest and richest heritage, and Syrian heritage is rich in authenticity and civilization.

Intangible heritage, including traditions and expressions like glassblowing, contributes to the preservation of Syrian identity and culture.

UNESCO's listing of Syrian glassblowing as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding highlights the need for international cooperation and support to preserve this valuable part of Syrian cultural heritage.

Syrian traditional glassblowing is an artisanal craft that dates back over 2000 years to Phoenician times, and it is considered a type of plastic art.

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 originated in Syria in the 1st century BC, with Syrian craftsmen inventing glassblowing in cities such as Sidon, Aleppo, Hama, and Palmyra.

Title:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The technique of glassblowing remains essentially the same today, with glass being made by heating sand to high temperatures and shaped using a blow pole and tools.

Glassblowing is an important part of Syria's cultural heritage, with the craft being passed down from generation to generation, and artisans learning the craft manually from a young age.

The craft is also considered an important part of Syria's intangible cultural heritage, with UNESCO listing it as such in 2023.

However, the traditional glassblowing craft in Syria is facing challenges, with the war affecting the craft and many artisans struggling to continue their work.

The number of craftsmen practicing traditional glassblowing in Syria has declined due to high production costs, lack of support, and unequal competition.

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

Despite these challenges, there are initiatives to preserve and promote the traditional glassblowing craft in Syria, including training programs for young people and financial grants for craftsmen.

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

Some initiatives also aim to integrate modern technologies and innovative techniques into the traditional craft, while preserving its traditional aspects.

Title:

Content: Industries and Artistic Crafts between Tradition and Modernization
< img src = http: / / www.babnet.net / images / 2b / artisanat.jpg width = 100 align = left border = 0 >
M.D., M.D., M.D.
Emad Al Hussein (*)
First of all, I did not use in the title the term "traditional industries" as is common in our country, but I used the term "artistic industries" because the word "tradition" is a stagnation and death of artistic creativity and natural development.
I will then begin by asking the central question of this article: Should we preserve traditional industries?
Or is it developed according to the requirements of the modern era?
To answer this, I will present some problems for models of current traditional industries whose economic circle has shrunk and become heritage or folklore.
"..."
The first example is the pottery of Sajnan, which was registered as a UNESCO intangible world cultural heritage. I am very impressed by this approach taken by some parties in this file, as if the oldest technique known to mankind for the manufacture of ceramic by hand molding.
It is only found in the Tunisian prison system!
No (colombin ou boudin) and chords style
The second example is the manufacture of copper by the technique of forging, which is the oldest metal industry known to mankind, is still practiced by the same primitive methods since ancient times until the technique of coating red copper with transparent enamel to prevent oxidation and carbonatation and thus maintain its aesthetic and functional properties did not enter this traditional industry, but still copper coated tin...
In addition, the price of a kilogram of red copper is comparable to two kilograms of stainless steel (inox ou stainless) and the primitive method of forging is not able to compete with modern methods such as molding (matriçage) and stamping (estampage) because the technique of forging requires some hours of work for some seconds for the techniques of molding and stamping.
The third example is the manufacture of traditional carpet by the method of knots, which produces medium quality carpet for the thickness of the threads and the lack of hand tension, double the number of knots per square meter, heavy weight (due to the thickness and length of the thread), difficult to clean (due to the length of the thread) and expensive because the square meter requires about a week of work for a few minutes for automated carpet.
The aforementioned problems reflect the difficult situation in which the traditional industries sector is struggling, as it represents 11% of the active population, while it contributes only 4% to the gross national product and 2.5% to exports.
As a practical solution to the development of some markets of traditional industries, I have in the past proposed a vision or a road map on the supervision structures of this important sector of the economy through the methodology of participatory work in the complexes or markets. For this example, the industry of the formulator, whose production chain or manufacturing line (chaine de fabrication) can be divided between the different shops of the goldsmith market. For manufacturing (alloys, sheets, wires...)
Some shops are specialized in die casting, some shops are specialized in the synthesis of lobes (sertissage) and some shops are specialized in the refinement of the final product etc.
This division is similar to the production chain in large factories, which one craftsman can not cope with either technically or technically or financially, and the Secretary of Industry can play a role similar to the director of the factory, and some state structures such as the Office of Technical Industries can intervene in supervision, supervision, training, technical training, development and financing.
The application of this modernization methodology enables the development and opening of new horizons for some markets of other technical industries such as copper-and-steel, porcelain, glass, knitting, textile, leather, footwear...
*, Professor of Materials and Techniques
Higher Institute of Arts and Crafts in Kairouan.
(imed.houcine @ isamk.u-kairouan.tn)
FOLLOW US ON VOVEL NEWS
*. *. *

The application of modernization methodology can develop new horizons for some markets of technical industries, including the glass industry.

Modern methods such as molding and stamping can increase efficiency in traditional industries, including glassblowing.

However, the introduction of modern technologies also poses a threat to traditional Syrian crafts, including glassblowing, with some fearing that it may lead to the decline of the craft.

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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Efforts are necessary to protect and care for traditional Syrian professions, including glassblowing, and to preserve the country's cultural heritage.

The Syrian government and other organizations are urged to provide support and resources to help preserve the traditional glassblowing craft and other traditional industries.

The preservation of Syrian glassblowing heritage is urgently needed, and initiatives such as exhibitions and training programs can help to promote and preserve the craft.

Exhibitions and seminars can also help to introduce traditional Syrian crafts, including glassblowing, to a wider audience and to promote their importance in Syrian culture.

Title:

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

Overall, the traditional glassblowing craft in Syria is an important part of the country's cultural heritage, and efforts are needed to preserve and promote it, while also integrating modern technologies and innovative techniques to ensure its continued survival.

UNESCO listed Syrian glassblowing as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding in December 2023, recognizing its importance and the need for urgent protection.

The listing of Syrian glassblowing as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding is due to the risk of extinction and the need to protect this ancient craft, which is an important part of Syrian cultural heritage.

The Syrian government has supported the craft by liberating areas where artisans can restore and practice their craft.

However, there is no specific information available on the current number of craftsmen practicing traditional glassblowing in Syria.

UNESCO has launched appeals to combat the illicit trafficking of Syrian cultural property and has created a special fund to preserve World Heritage properties in Syria, but specific urgent safeguarding measures for Syrian traditional glassblowing are not mentioned.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
Saladin Castle | UNESCO recognizes and breaks its silence..
Syria ’ s heritage threatened with extinction
UNESCO has warned that the situation inside Syria has become dangerous, listing six endangered heritage sites, with experts saying heavy fighting and deteriorating security have left the country ’ s extraordinary archaeological heritage vulnerable to damage and looting.
Severe damage
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said six archaeological sites in Syria, including the Saladin citadel and the Crusader citadel, are in danger of extinction, warning that more than two years of civil war had caused serious damage.
An armed conflict.
“Due to the situation of armed conflict in Syria, conditions no longer exist to ensure that the exceptional universal value of the six World Heritage properties is preserved and protected, ” UNESCO said.
An ancient heritage.
Syria has six World Heritage Sites: the ancient cities of Damascus, Bosra and Aleppo, the oasis of Palmyra, the citadel of Al Hosn and the citadel of Saladin - considered a single site - and the ancient villages of northern Syria.
World Heritage
All six were placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger by the UNESCO Committee at its annual meeting.
Protecting Syria ’ s Heritage Sites
UNESCO spokesman Ronnie Amelan told AFP that the decision was aimed at mobilising support for the protection of the sites, with members backing a French proposal calling for the creation of a special fund to help preserve World Heritage properties in Syria.
Experts say heavy fighting and deteriorating security have left the country ’ s exceptional archaeological heritage vulnerable to destruction and looting.
UNESCO said its information on the scale of the destruction was "partial" and came from unverified sources, including social media and a report from Syrian authorities that it said "does not necessarily reflect the actual situation".
Brutal conflict!
Aleppo ’ s Old City in particular “has seen some of the most brutal forms of destruction in the conflict, ” she said, adding that the old citadel was“ stuck in the line of fire. ”
During the confrontations inside Syria, the minaret of the ancient Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo, originally built in the 8th century and rebuilt in the 13th century, was completely destroyed.
Immediate effect
“The immediate, near-term and long-term impact of the crises on Aleppo ’ s cultural heritage cannot be overstated. ”
There are also fears of two castles being considered architectural treasures of the Crusades of the 11th and 13th centuries.
Clashes.
The fort and the citadel of Salahuddin (Salahuddin citadel) were subjected to "clashes and gunfire", according to a report submitted by the Syrian authorities to UNESCO.
Saladin is the Kurdish military commander who retook Jerusalem from the Crusaders in the 12th century, and was Assad throughout the Middle East.
Referring to the Crack de Chevalier, the report said: "We believe that the old mosque (chapel) in the center of the castle, which still retains traces of the original paint, has been damaged."
Excavation works
Secret excavations, including looting of ancient tombs and grave sites, have been reported at several sites, it said.
Earlier, at least 18 ancient mosaics depicting scenes from Homer ’ s Odyssey were stolen during illegal excavations at archaeological sites in the war-torn northeast, the culture minister at the time said.
Cultural property
UNESCO launched an appeal to Syria ’ s neighbours and the international community to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property from Syria.
Since the fighting began, UNESCO has repeatedly called on all parties to the conflict to preserve the country ’ s cultural heritage.
Deaths in Syria
Last week, the United Nations announced in a report that highlighted the increase in the number of deaths each month, with more than 93,000 people killed, including at least 6,500 children, since the outbreak of the civil war in Syria in March 2011.

The Syrian government has reported restoring several archaeological sites and monuments, including the Abu al-Fida archaeological school and the Aleppo Citadel entrance, but its specific support for UNESCO's efforts to protect traditional glassblowing is not clear.

Title:

Content: The news tape.
Syrian tangible heritage in 2023.
A distinctive presence in the cultural scene reflects the image of the Syrian cultural achievement
Damascus-Sana
The Syrian tangible cultural heritage witnessed many important events during the year 2023, although it was affected at the beginning of the year by the earthquake of February 6, which affected many archaeological sites in some provinces.
The most prominent event of the year was the awarding of the Syrian Order of Merit to the Italian archaeologist Paolo Matier, discoverer of Ebla.
Dr. Najah Attar, Vice President of the Republic, was awarded the Order of Merit in recognition of his important achievements in the field of archaeological excavation in the Kingdom of Ebla during 59 years of archaeological and research work, and devoted a large part of his life to work for Syrian antiquities.
The tradition of the Order of Merit of Dr. Matier came during the international conference “The latest results of Syrian archaeological research and the repercussions of the earthquake ” held by the Ministry of Culture – General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums in June 2023.
In cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, at the National Museum in Damascus, and with the participation of a group of Syrian and foreign researchers from Italy, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Germany.
On February 6, a devastating earthquake hit many Syrian provinces and did not save from this natural disaster archaeological sites in Aleppo, Hama, Homs and Tartus, and the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums worked to issue reports assessing the extent of the damage suffered in those sites.
On the dawn of February 19, the city of Damascus was subjected to an Israeli aggression that caused great damage to the Technical Institute of Applied Arts and the Mediterranean Institute of Antiquities and Museums in the citadel of Damascus and damaged the administrative offices of the citadel and led to great destruction in the two institutes.
On February 25, a delegation from UNESCO visited the Old City of Aleppo to see the needs of saving the city after the earthquake and the mission of the UNESCO mission was to assess the extent of damage to the Old City in preparation for setting priorities for urgent intervention of the affected places and to study the financing of some projects that need urgent emergency intervention.
On April 13, the Czech National Museum in Prague organized an exhibition of Syrian antiquities, which included artifacts damaged during the terrorist war on Syria, sent to Prague to work on their restoration according to a joint agreement between the two countries.
- With the participation of Syria, the opening of the conference of the Council for the Protection of the Asian Cultural Heritage in China on April 24, with the aim of cooperating in the protection of archaeological cultural heritage and supporting efforts to recover antiquities and combat smuggling.
In mid-May, the staff of the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums in Daraa began work on the restoration and rehabilitation of the Abu al-Fida archaeological school in Busra al-Sham, after it was burned and vandalized by terrorist groups.
The joint Syrian-Czech mission began the excavation season for 2023 on May 21 at the site of “Tell al-Shamiya ”, which belongs to the Bronze and Iron Ages, which is located on the Syrian coast near the sites of Ugarit and Ibn Hani, where the excavation work was completed in the Acropolis area and tombs.
On May 25, the scientific workshop “Visions and methodologies for the restoration and reconstruction of the Arc de Triomphe in Palmyra ” was launched in cooperation between the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, the Syrian Trust for Development and the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the presence of experts from UNESCO.
With the participation of 14 Syrian and Hungarian experts, the joint Syrian-Hungarian mission continued on June 12 to work at Al Marqab Fort for the first season to accurately characterize the damage caused by the earthquake and classify it from cracks and cracks to the most dangerous.
On June 13, the joint Syrian-Italian archaeological mission completed its work for the first season at the Amrit site in Tartus governorate, and focused on documenting and assessing the earthquake damage, especially the Abu Afsa landfill discovered in 2003, in addition to carrying out ambulance work inside it.
On June 20, the Syrian Secretariat, in cooperation with the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums and Diyari Company, began work on restoring the entrance to Aleppo Citadel, which was damaged by the earthquake.
On the 22nd of June, the archaeological mosaic discovered in the city of Rastan in the countryside of Homs returned to the limelight, with the discovery of a third new scene mentioned in the ancient Greek legend in the second half of the fourth century AD, where the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums announced that the new scene of the painting is rarely represented and known in Greek mythology as the war of centaurs.
On July 4, the Idlib Culture Directorate launched the second phase of the “Environment, Development and Reconstruction ” initiative, which includes cleaning and rehabilitating the garden of the mausoleum of Caliph Omar bin Abdul Aziz in the town of Deir Sharqi in Maarat al-Numan in the liberated countryside of Idlib.
On July 16, some of the houses of al-Uqayba neighborhood of Saruja district in Damascus were exposed to a fire that managed to the palace of the Emir of the Haj al-Shami Abdul Rahman Pasha al-Yousef heritage and the house of Khalid al-Azm Damascene heritage house, two historical and archaeological monuments associated with a social and temporal era, where the extent of damage due to the fire reached its widest extent.
On July 24, the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, in cooperation with the Russian Voluntary Expeditionary Corps, began the first phase of the restoration project of the ancient theater of Palmyra destroyed by the attacks of the terrorist organization “Daash ” before its defeat from the region.
In Aleppo on July 30, the National Museum opened the exhibition “History of Islamic Coins ” organized by the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, and included 19 paintings of the most prominent coins used during the historical Islamic period in Syria and Aleppo in particular.
_ The film (Oath of Siriacus) won the first prize in the 19th edition of the Archaeological Film Festival, which was held in the Garden of the Valley of the Ancient Temples in Italy.
On August 10, the Ministry of Culture and the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums launched the restoration and rehabilitation of the National Museum in the city of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib countryside, as a result of the acts of sabotage by armed terrorist organizations, and study the restoration of the building of the Cultural Center and the mausoleum of Abi al-Alaa al-Maari.
The Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums participated on September 4 in the framing workshop to help Arab countries to remove their sites on the list of World Heritage in Danger, organized by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) at its central headquarters in Tunis.
In an official ceremony on September 11 and in the presence of influential scientific figures including authors, writers, historians, archaeologists and managers of Italian archaeological sites, the award of communication with the past was handed to Mohammed Nazir Awad, Director General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, for his role in facing the challenges and threats to the Syrian cultural heritage during the terrorist war on Syria and after the earthquake on February 6.
On 14 September, through Omani efforts, Syria, in cooperation with the National Museum in the Sultanate of Oman, recovered artifacts smuggled abroad, where they were found in the British Museum in the United Kingdom and the National Museum of Oman worked to deliver the artifacts through coordination with a number of local and international authorities concerned with archaeological affairs.
On September 28, Syria participated in the Sub-Forum of Museums within the Ninth Nishan Forum of World Civilizations, which was titled Museums.
A bridge between the past, present and future, in the city of Kufu _ Shandong province, China, during the forum, the curator of the National Museum in Damascus, Dr. Rima Khawam, presented a lecture entitled National Museum in Damascus.
Importance of international exhibitions.
On October 14, the Syrian Secretariat, in cooperation with the province and the city council of Aleppo and the Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, began restoration work in the market of al-Kish in the old city of Aleppo, which connects between the market of ropes and pistachio square, and includes 48 stone shops used to sell various types of yarns and fabrics.
On November 28, the Ministry of Culture launched the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums, in cooperation with Al-Manara Private University, the first phase of a three-dimensional documentation project for the archaeological site of Ugarit.
It is worth mentioning that the year 2023 witnessed the visit of many foreign tourist groups to the city of Busra Al-Sham, and reviewed the archaeological and urban monuments in it.
Rasha Mahfouz
Follow SANA news on Telegram https: / / t.me / SyrianArabNewsAgenc

The Syrian Secretariat for Development has refined its work with Syrian communities and has prepared nomination files for intangible heritage, including the registration of the Aleppo cod on UNESCO's Representative List.

Title:

Content: Successfully registered!
Please go through the link provided in the body of the e-mail message
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 has also participated in international efforts to preserve cultural heritage, including the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies, and has been elected vice-president of the UNESCO Convention.

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

Despite these efforts, there is no specific information available on the urgent safeguarding measures being implemented by UNESCO to protect Syrian traditional glassblowing or the specific support being provided by the Syrian government.

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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The importance of Syrian glassblowing in Syria's culture is evident in its recognition as an intangible cultural heritage element, and efforts are being made to preserve and promote this traditional craft.

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 Levant region, where Syria is located, has the oldest and richest heritage, and Syrian heritage is rich in authenticity and civilization.

Intangible heritage, including traditions and expressions like glassblowing, contributes to the preservation of Syrian identity and culture.

UNESCO's listing of Syrian glassblowing as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding highlights the need for international cooperation and support to preserve this valuable part of Syrian cultural heritage.