Syrian glassblowing is a traditional craft that dates back over 2000 years to the time of the Phoenicians.

The craft has been preserved by artisans who have passed down their skills and techniques from generation to generation.

Traditional Syrian glassblowing involves the use of recycled glass and high-temperature ovens to create a variety of products, including hookah bottles, vases, and plates.

The craft is considered a type of plastic art, with artisans manually shaping and decorating glass products using techniques such as blowing, rotating, and processing.

Syrian glassblowing has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding, highlighting its importance in Syrian culture and the need for its preservation.

The craft has been affected by the war in Syria, which has had a significant impact on the number of skilled glassblowing craftsmen and the transmission of the craft.

Despite the challenges, some artisans have restored glassblowing in Aleppo after liberation from terrorism, and efforts are being made to preserve and promote the craft.

The Syrian Professional Center Association has provided financial grants to craftsmen and trained young people to learn traditional crafts, including glassblowing.

Exhibitions are also being held to showcase traditional Syrian handicrafts, including glassblowing, and to preserve the country's cultural heritage.

However, the current estimate of the number of artisans actively practicing traditional glassblowing in Syria is not available, and the craft faces significant challenges, including high production costs, low demand, and migration of skilled artisans.

UNESCO's listing of Syrian glassblowing as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding is an important step towards preserving the craft, but more efforts are needed to support artisans and restore the craft to its former glory.

The preservation of traditional Syrian glassblowing is crucial for maintaining the country's cultural identity and passing it down to future generations.

The craft is not only important for its cultural significance but also for its economic and environmental benefits, including the reduction of waste and the promotion of sustainable practices.

Overall, Syrian glassblowing is a unique and valuable craft that requires urgent safeguarding to ensure its preservation for future generations.

Syrian glassblowing is a traditional craft that dates back over 2000 years to the time of the Phoenicians.

Title:

Content: Art of glassblowing returns again in Aleppo countryside liberated from terrorism

The town of Urem Al-Kubra in Aleppo province in northern Syria has historically been famous for its skilled glassblowing craftsmen. The war considerably affected this traditional craft inherited from our ancestors, but after the liberation of the city from terrorism, some artisans have brought it back to life. The artisan, Yassin Arab learned the glassblowing craft from his father when he was a child, and after the town was liberated from terrorism, he returned to his small facility, where he worked to restore it and start working again. Arab does not hide his enormous passion for the craft of glassblowing and his belief in the need to preserve this ancient Syrian heritage. Regarding the working mechanism, the artisan explained to SANA that he uses recycled glass, melts it again in the oven at high temperature, and then chooses a specific shape for its manufacture, whether hookah bottles, vases, plates, small jugs, fish houses for decoration, decorated cups and antiques of different sizes. After that, t he piece is blown, rotated and processed by the artisan until it takes its final shape using white and brown colors, and once the manufacturing of the product is finished, it is decorated and colored to give it the required aesthetics. For his part, Hussein Najjar noted that he learned the craft of blowing glass manually since he was young and has been working in this field for 40 years. He added that he is able to make any shape or glass container, using his imagination, and considered that the art of glassblowing is one of the types of plastic arts. Traditional glassblowing is a profession that dates back more than two thousand years (since the time of the Phoenicians) and was included in December 2023 by UNESCO on the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity that needs urgent preservation. Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

The craft has been preserved by artisans who have passed down their skills and techniques from generation to generation.

Traditional Syrian glassblowing involves the use of recycled glass and high-temperature ovens to create a variety of products, including hookah bottles, vases, and plates.

The craft is considered a type of plastic art, with artisans manually shaping and decorating glass products using techniques such as blowing, rotating, and processing.

Syrian glassblowing has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding, highlighting its importance in Syrian culture and the need for its preservation.

The craft has been affected by the war in Syria, which has had a significant impact on the number of skilled glassblowing craftsmen and the transmission of the craft.

Despite the challenges, some artisans have restored glassblowing in Aleppo after liberation from terrorism, and efforts are being made to preserve and promote the craft.

The Syrian Professional Center Association has provided financial grants to craftsmen and trained young people to learn traditional crafts, including 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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Look, too.
Aleppo Public Park

Exhibitions are also being held to showcase traditional Syrian handicrafts, including glassblowing, and to preserve the country's cultural heritage.

However, the current estimate of the number of artisans actively practicing traditional glassblowing in Syria is not available, and the craft faces significant challenges, including high production costs, low demand, and migration of skilled artisans.

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

UNESCO's listing of Syrian glassblowing as an intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding is an important step towards preserving the craft, but more efforts are needed to support artisans and restore the craft to its former glory.

The preservation of traditional Syrian glassblowing is crucial for maintaining the country's cultural identity and passing it down to future generations.

The craft is not only important for its cultural significance but also for its economic and environmental benefits, including the reduction of waste and the promotion of sustainable practices.

Title:

Content: The news tape.
Wafa Dryus recycles glass to create art products
Lattakia-Sana
Wafa Derius spends many hours in her private room in Latakia, which has become like a small workshop in the hope of expanding it and establishing an integrated project that combines the arts she has always loved from painting, clay and recycling to create useful products that achieve economic returns.
A variety of glass works including cups and pots for the cultivation of roses, candlesticks and others in different colors and designs adorn the room of Darius, which benefited from its mastery of the art of painting to give its touch to its products to create the most beautiful plant motifs and portraits and letters of names on request.
She said in an interview with SANA: There is hardly a house without empty bottles and the recycling of glass bottles is one of the projects that benefit the environment, indicating that the idea of   taking advantage of empty glass bottles instead of getting rid of them was to fill the shortage of glass cups they use at home.
She pointed out that she faced some difficulties at the beginning and took a long time to complete the first piece, but later became more familiar with how to deal with the glass in various thicknesses, shapes and sizes and choose the appropriate bottles, pointing to the need to take a number of precautions to work with glass, most importantly put a protective mask for eyes for fear of flying spatter during the process of grinding and smoothing and put a muzzle because inhalation glass dust damage to the lungs.
She explained that the recycling process goes through several stages of cutting, fixing, grinding and smoothing the glass using special equipment, explaining that she has manufactured some of the machines that she needs, such as the heat shearing machine designed by herself and the selection machine, which is a wooden box installed on an iron rod that can be moved in both directions according to the required length of the cup. so that they do not break and scatter their fragments.
She pointed out that one of her works is to make use of the remnants of large broken mirrors, which cut them in small sizes and paint different shapes on request, and make lighting tools to illuminate the corners of rooms and salons.
The encouragement and support she received from her family, friends and the surrounding environment, the success of her first experience in this field and the reputation she gained, motivated her to continue and think about taking more serious steps to expand her work and develop her capabilities and equipment.
Rasha Ruslan

Overall, Syrian glassblowing is a unique and valuable craft that requires urgent safeguarding to ensure its preservation for future generations.


Syrian glassblowing is a 2000-year-old craft dating back to Phoenician times, passed down through generations of skilled artisans.

The craft originated in Aleppo, where artisans shape and decorate glass into various forms using recycled glass and high-temperature ovens.

Syrian glassblowing is significant in Syria's culture, reflecting the country's history and identity.

The craft in Syria has declined due to war and terrorism, though some artisans have restored their facilities after liberation.

UNESCO has recognized Syrian glassblowing as intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.

UNESCO listed Syrian glassblowing as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding due to its vulnerability from war and cultural significance.

The traditional Syrian glassblowing craft faces significant challenges due to high production costs, low demand, and insufficient profits.

The lack of support and unequal competition have led to a decline in traditional glassblowing craftsmen.

The craft of traditional glassblowing in Damascus is at risk of disappearing due to challenges faced by artisans.

Efforts are being made to preserve traditional Syrian glassblowing and the country's cultural heritage through training, government support, and exhibitions.

Preserving Syrian glassblowing is crucial for protecting the country's national identity and intangible heritage.

Syrian glassblowing is a 2000-year-old craft dating back to Phoenician times, passed down through generations of skilled artisans.

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 Aleppo, where artisans shape and decorate glass into various forms using recycled glass and high-temperature ovens.

Syrian glassblowing is significant in Syria's culture, reflecting the country's history and identity.

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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The craft in Syria has declined due to war and terrorism, though some artisans have restored their facilities after liberation.

UNESCO has recognized Syrian glassblowing as intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.

UNESCO listed Syrian glassblowing as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding due to its vulnerability from war and cultural significance.

The traditional Syrian glassblowing craft faces significant challenges due to high production 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 lack of support and unequal competition have led to a decline in traditional glassblowing craftsmen.

The craft of traditional glassblowing in Damascus is at risk of disappearing due to challenges faced by artisans.

Efforts are being made to preserve traditional Syrian glassblowing and the country's cultural heritage through training, government support, and exhibitions.

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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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Preserving Syrian glassblowing is crucial for protecting the country's national identity and intangible 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 ”.