Traditional glassblowing in Syria, especially in Damascus and Aleppo, dates back over two thousand years to the Phoenician era.

Syrian artisans produce glass objects by reheating recycled glass and blowing it into functional or decorative forms such as hookah bottles, vases, plates, jugs, and intricately painted lamps reflecting Islamic motifs.

Damascus notably blends glassblowing with painting on glass, making it a unique element of the city's distinct artisanal identity, deeply rooted in its historical and cultural context.

The Sulaymaniyah Tekke Ottoman complex historically served as a vibrant craft center hosting dozens of workshops specializing in these ancient arts, anchoring the craft within Syria’s rich cultural heritage .

The craft holds major cultural significance, representing a centuries-old tradition that combines artistic imagination and expert skills passed down through generations.

It embodies Syria’s intangible cultural heritage, contributes to local economies, and strengthens social identity by connecting contemporary craftsmen to their historical legacy.

Glassblowing produces both practical household items and ornamental art, contributing to broader artistic heritage and cultural exhibitions aimed at sustaining local handcraft practices .

Currently, the glassblowing craft faces an urgent crisis largely due to the prolonged conflict, economic decline, and resulting social disruptions.

Many workshops have closed or relocated as artisans migrate, and the craft suffers from increased costs, decreased demand, heavy taxation, lack of government support, and fractured trade relations.

Moreover, restoration projects have displaced craftsmen from historic marketplaces such as those in the Sulaymaniyah Tekke, causing concern over losing traditional production spaces and endangering the continuity of knowledge transmission .

Traditional glassblowing in Syria, especially in Damascus and Aleppo, dates back over two thousand years to the Phoenician era.

Title:

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

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

Syrian artisans produce glass objects by reheating recycled glass and blowing it into functional or decorative forms such as hookah bottles, vases, plates, jugs, and intricately painted lamps reflecting Islamic motifs.

Damascus notably blends glassblowing with painting on glass, making it a unique element of the city's distinct artisanal identity, deeply rooted in its historical and cultural context.

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

The Sulaymaniyah Tekke Ottoman complex historically served as a vibrant craft center hosting dozens of workshops specializing in these ancient arts, anchoring the craft within Syria’s rich cultural heritage .

Title:

Content: Or Elias...
Embraced the traditional crafts in its small museum Baharat Hanania Damascene
Damascus-Sana
You cannot pass through the Damascene neighborhood of Hanania in Bab Sharqi without being stopped by the time at the gallery of Mrs. Sophia Al-Ashqar “Um Elias ”. The smell of the place leads you voluntarily to stand at the heritage of nearly a hundred years old, looking at the cloth, moving your eyes to the copper and mosaic, and drowning in the place to come the laugh of Umm Elias and take you back to its small museum.
As her sons and residents of Haret Hananiya describe it as a “fortress ”, it is a fortress that stands as the steadfastness of Syrian women through time. Umm Elias does not only tell visitors to her heritage museum about the concept and value of the work, but she sees it embodied in her spirit and in every piece she weaved with her management of the gallery for nearly 70 years, including during the war on Syria. The development of the Syrian kaftan.
The love of the homeland and the authenticity of Umm Elias overshadowed her work many times, and she acted as a guide to the foreign tourist about the history of Syria and the age of each piece she acquired, reminding them that Damascus is the oldest inhabited city in history, and stressing that she did not tire and did not tire of that task, especially when visiting tourist delegations to Haret Hanania and their acquisition of the heritage craft in the gallery.
Mrs. Al-Ashqar talked about how she developed the Damascene kaftan from a traditional folk costume to a modern one that has been mixed for centuries until the present day. Umm Elias, 83, manipulated velvet, silk, agbani and brocade fabrics with her fingers as if she were manipulating her grandchildren, to come up with a piece of kaftan that mimics the fashion of our times and the new taste.
The icon of Haret Hanania moves around the gallery, continuing to talk, and with her warm voice narrates her beginning with the needle and thread since she was ten years old, and like any girl, the first dress she knitted was for her little doll, and developed her passion for cloth and sewing, considering that her father and grandfather have been professionals for a long time. Qar received the third prize in the mosaic industry at the Damascus Exhibition in 1936.
Umm Elias did not spare us time, and despite her fatigue, which seemed clear on the features of her face, love and determination had a stronger presence appeared in the explanation and give the most accurate information. She talked about the visit of senior guests to the gallery of artists, intellectuals and prominent personalities. However, she did not think to move to another area outside Bab Sharqi. Glass, as well as icons, begins to live from 45 years to almost 100 years.
Umm Elias goes back to an ancient time whose effects were evident on a copper table occupied by Damascene hands, through the technique of downloading silver on copper, and is more than eighty years old, in addition to the types of wood such as mosaic, which is famous for her father 's craftsman Haneen Ashqar. With her hands she opens a wooden piece of art created by her father, a mosaic table that includes several levels of toys. Sometimes chess, sometimes Elias's mother turns it into a dice game.
It then moves on to Damascene ornaments, icons and small brides made of cloth to stained glass, which gives the place the spirit of life and confirms that each piece and masterpiece has a cultural significance rooted in the culture of Syria.
So that Umm Elias remains one of the many Syrian women who went through the war, and their heads are nostalgic like the ears of wheat, but they did not break them, and they remain tender and shameless, raising their muses to them whenever their names are mentioned.
Najwa Aida Mariam Hajir
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Look, too.
Umm Elias Museum of Traditional Crafts in the Damascus neighborhood of Hanania

The craft holds major cultural significance, representing a centuries-old tradition that combines artistic imagination and expert skills passed down through generations.

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 ”.

It embodies Syria’s intangible cultural heritage, contributes to local economies, and strengthens social identity by connecting contemporary craftsmen to their historical legacy.

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
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Glassblowing produces both practical household items and ornamental art, contributing to broader artistic heritage and cultural exhibitions aimed at sustaining local handcraft practices .

Currently, the glassblowing craft faces an urgent crisis largely due to the prolonged conflict, economic decline, and resulting social disruptions.

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

Many workshops have closed or relocated as artisans migrate, and the craft suffers from increased costs, decreased demand, heavy taxation, lack of government support, and fractured trade relations.

Moreover, restoration projects have displaced craftsmen from historic marketplaces such as those in the Sulaymaniyah Tekke, causing concern over losing traditional production spaces and endangering the continuity of knowledge transmission .


Traditional glassblowing in Syria is a venerable craft with origins tracing back over two millennia, emerging around the era of the Phoenicians.

It is especially rooted in cities such as Damascus and Aleppo, including towns like Urem Al-Kubra near Aleppo which remain important centers for the craft.

Syrian artisans manually melt recycled glass at high temperatures and use time-honored blowing, rotating, and shaping techniques to fashion an array of objects.

These items include hookah bottles, vases, plates, small jugs, decorative fish houses, and cups.

The glassware is often adorned with specific colors, notably white and brown, which are characteristic hues in the Syrian glassblowing tradition.

Craftsmen utilize traditional tools and methods handed down through generations, enabling them to achieve a wide variety of shapes that balance practical function and deep cultural artistry.

This mastery of shaping glass is not only technical but also highly creative; seasoned artisans describe their work as a form of “plastic arts,” where they exercise imagination to design any shape requested, merging utility with aesthetic expression .

The significance of Syrian traditional glassblowing extends beyond its artistic value; it is a vital component of Syria’s intangible cultural heritage and an enduring symbol of national identity.

This craft joins other emblematic Levantine traditions, such as the Aleppo cod embroidery and the cultivation of Levantine roses, as part of a wider tapestry of social practices, music, dance, and crafts that collectively express Syrian culture.

Glassblowing, embedded deeply in daily life, connects families and communities across generations.

Products of this craft are commonly featured in local markets and are part of social customs, including the widespread popularity of traditional hookahs, making the craft integral to contemporary cultural and commercial life.

This interweaving of artistry, tradition, and everyday use demonstrates the craft’s importance in sustaining Syrian social and cultural continuity amid modern-day challenges .

However, the status of traditional glassblowing in Syria today is precarious.

The recent decades of war and economic hardship have caused severe damage to key artisanal centers and workshops.

Many glassblowers have been displaced, and numerous workshops—once bustling hubs of activity—have been damaged, closed, or destroyed.

While exact figures on the current number of active artisans are unavailable, reports indicate only a handful of workshops continue traditional practices, predominantly in Damascus and liberated areas near Aleppo.

Skilled practitioners often work in small, modest facilities, illustrating the craft’s fragile status while reflecting a determined resurgence.

Notably, artisans like Yassin Arab, who learned the craft from his father and now works to revive glassblowing in liberated locales, exemplify the resilience and dedication within the community.

Some glassblowers have practiced for four decades or more, underscoring the craft’s embedded lifelong expertise and familial transmission .

The decline in practitioners has placed Syrian glassblowing under threat of disappearance, which prompted UNESCO's inclusion of the craft on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in December 2023.

This listing was based on UNESCO’s evaluation of the craft’s vulnerability, exacerbated by ongoing conflict, economic instability, and the shrinking artisan community unable to continue intergenerational knowledge transfer.

The designation is a call to international and local stakeholders to prioritize urgent safeguarding measures aimed at preserving this heritage.

Preservation efforts include revitalizing workshops, supporting artisans in liberated areas, and promoting awareness of the craft’s cultural importance.

Concurrently, the listing seeks to encourage community initiatives and governmental programs designed to protect the craft amidst social and economic upheaval.

UNESCO documentation highlights the urgent need to sustain these artistic practices to preserve Syria’s cultural identity and maintain continuity in its rich artisanal traditions .

Direct testimony from practitioners underscores the human element behind these traditions.

For example, artisans describe their work as a creative and imaginative endeavor, emphasizing the ability to “invent and create any shape” that a customer or tradition might demand.

They view the craft not merely as a job but as a cultural mission, linking them personally to Syria’s historical legacy.

One master glassblower expressed pride in sustaining the “plastic arts” that embody Syrian creativity and identity, even in the face of adversity.

The manual techniques remain unchanged over generations, reinforcing the craft’s status as a living heritage that captures both the past and present .

In conclusion, Syrian traditional glassblowing represents a unique synthesis of ancient history, artistic skill, and cultural identity.

The craft’s production methods, distinct decorative colors, and forms embody centuries of accumulated knowledge transmitted through families and communities.

Its products are integral to Syrian cultural life, associated with markets, social rituals, and daily commerce, particularly through artisanal objects like hookahs which are both functional and emblematic.

The recent conflicts and related challenges have significantly marginalized the craft, but the ongoing resilience of a small community of artisans offers hope.

UNESCO’s recent urgent safeguarding designation reflects a global recognition of these urgent threats and calls for coordinated efforts to ensure the survival and flourishing of Syria’s glassblowing heritage.

This context will enrich your introduction to the expert glassblower’s demonstration, providing the audience with a richly nuanced appreciation of the craft’s deep roots, current peril, and enduring cultural value.

Traditional glassblowing in Syria is a venerable craft with origins tracing back over two millennia, emerging around the era 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

It is especially rooted in cities such as Damascus and Aleppo, including towns like Urem Al-Kubra near Aleppo which remain important centers for the craft.

Syrian artisans manually melt recycled glass at high temperatures and use time-honored blowing, rotating, and shaping techniques to fashion an array of objects.

These items include hookah bottles, vases, plates, small jugs, decorative fish houses, and cups.

The glassware is often adorned with specific colors, notably white and brown, which are characteristic hues in the Syrian glassblowing tradition.

Craftsmen utilize traditional tools and methods handed down through generations, enabling them to achieve a wide variety of shapes that balance practical function and deep cultural artistry.

Title:

Content: Metal engraving is a world heritage struggling to survive in the Maghreb
Craftsmen preserve the art of hand-carved metal with ancestral skills recently listed by UNESCO as an “intangible heritage ” but not“ highly regarded ” in the region, where some are struggling to keep it.
This artisan art relies on carving ornaments in various forms, including geometric, botanical and astronomical, on copper, silver or gold metals to make household items, decorations or ornaments.
In early December, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) classified it as a humanitarian heritage, in a file that received the support of 10 Arab countries, including Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
Exceptional Skills in Tunisia
Tunisian Imad Souleh, one of the three experts who submitted the file, praised the listing, saying it “obliges us to maintain this exceptional skill. ”
The Tunisian expert in this craft, Mohamed Amin Htouish, 37, learned the origins of engraving on copper at the age of 15, before moving on to silver and then gold, in a family workshop in the old city of Tunis.
To adapt to the new requirements, Hattouish learned to engrave using machines, and says, “I fear (this craft) will become extinct.
I am afraid that we will reach a day when we will no longer find any discussion. ”
Shahabuddeen bin Jaballah, 68, often devotes time to teaching his art to women who want to make ornaments or cribs decorated with brass ornaments in his workshop in Dandan, west of the capital.
However, the duration of training received by craftsmen today is insufficient, sometimes reduced to just three months.
He has trained hundreds of craftsmen over 50 years and now heads the National Chamber of Traditional Crafts.
“It takes at least two years to acquire all the engraving techniques, ” he explains, lamenting that his“ very rich ” profession is not appreciated.
The history of metal engraving in Tunisia dates back to the Carthaginians, before being enriched by the influences of Islamic civilization, Amazigh heritage and traditions of Mediterranean civilizations, as well as oriental influences.
There are still 439 artisans in the country who specialize in metal engraving, according to the National Crafts Office.
Engraving in Morocco
In Morocco, where traditional industry is generally of interest to the authorities and is part of the country ’ s tourism offering, most artisans now work in modern workshops such as those opened 10 years ago in Fez (north-central).
Before moving to one of those workshops, Idriss al-Sahay, 64, had learned to carve copper since he was a boy behind the walls of the ancient city.
Today, young people can learn them in vocational training centres that offer theoretical and practical courses supervised by craftsmen.
The man who spent 50 years in this craft said, “Today ’ s young people are lucky.
There is no fear on the back, but I insist on one thing, they must love the craft if they want to succeed. ”
The inscriptions used in Morocco often reclaim forms “inherited centuries ago and shared with the inscription on Zellig, wood and plaster, ” explains Ahmed El Kaddari, 57, whose passion for the craft began in his youth years.
But seasoned craftsmen with the status of “teacher ” can create new inscriptions“ at the moment ” or at the request of the customer, he adds.
Some of them bear the signature of the “guru ” who produced them as a sign of their high style.
Despite the training available to young people who want to learn the craft, El Sanea Mohamed Moumni believes that “the problem is the scarcity of people who know how to work, ” even though there is“ a huge demand for copper artifacts, ” according to the man living in the historic city of Salé, near Rabat.
Limited development in Libya
In Libya, artisans complain of lack of encouragement.
Youssef Shoshin told Agence France-Presse that "the development of this craft is very limited, it is only the demand that encourages the craftsmen" and not the authorities.
The Sixty Man asserts that "the majority of craftsmen have left the profession" which is no longer profitable.
He expresses his sadness over the development of this tradition, saying, "Why do I teach my children the craft?
They couldn ’ t work, ” although he tried to teach two or three young trainees.
High Demand in Algeria
In Algeria, demand for engraved metal tools remains high, despite the absence of official initiatives.
Carved gold or silver ornaments form part of the bridal decoration.
Each region has its own specialty, which it is famous for, the palms are known for their golden ornaments, while the tribes and the auras are known for making rings and silver bracelets sometimes decorated with coral.
Modern jeweler Walid Salami, 37, fell in love with the traditional inscriptions and “learned alone for two years online ” after finding no one to train him.
“It ’ s a great career, we don ’ t need to attract customers to buy, just to see the trinkets, ” he says.
But he believes that UNESCO ’ s recognition of the art “won ’ t change much ” in the situation, saying he would be more“ proud ” when these skills are “recognized ” in his region.
Source: French

This mastery of shaping glass is not only technical but also highly creative; seasoned artisans describe their work as a form of “plastic arts,” where they exercise imagination to design any shape requested, merging utility with aesthetic expression .

The significance of Syrian traditional glassblowing extends beyond its artistic value; it is a vital component of Syria’s intangible cultural heritage and an enduring symbol of national identity.

This craft joins other emblematic Levantine traditions, such as the Aleppo cod embroidery and the cultivation of Levantine roses, as part of a wider tapestry of social practices, music, dance, and crafts that collectively express Syrian culture.

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 ”.

Glassblowing, embedded deeply in daily life, connects families and communities across generations.

Title:

Content: Saudi News
"Pottery" in the medina..
A traditional industry passed down through generations.
...
Regions _ UAS
Pottery is one of the traditional handicrafts in the Medina region, inspired by the nature of the region, which visitors are keen to acquire as a memory from the land of Taiba, where it receives the support and attention of the Heritage Authority in order to preserve it and support its owners through various courses, workshops and events.
In a tour for the news agency “WAAS ” stood on one of the pottery factories in the region, which works in the traditional way by preparing the craftsman for clay paste manually with the addition of some natural materials that help it to cohesion, then put the clay in the form of molds and various sizes, to come out artistically and professionally, then dried in the sun and air, and transferred to the oven at a certain temperature to gain hardness and strength and be ready for sale.
Tamam Mahmoud, one of the craftsmen, expressed his pride in this profession, which he learned by inheritance from his father and grandfather more than 40 years ago, despite the challenges and difficulties faced by the worker, which requires a lot of patience and mastery.
The mixed clay used in the manufacture of pottery is brought from the valleys of the Medina region, after the fall of rain, where the area is characterized by a set of historical valleys, some of which are mentioned in the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
The demand for pottery in the current period is declining; this is due to the diversity and difference in the prices of modern household items, which are accessible to everyone, as pottery industry is currently limited to the technical and aesthetic aspects and gifts that visitors from different countries of the world are keen to buy.
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Source almnatiq
These were the details of the “pottery ” in the city.
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Products of this craft are commonly featured in local markets and are part of social customs, including the widespread popularity of traditional hookahs, making the craft integral to contemporary cultural and commercial life.

Title:

Content: Chairman of Wafd Party
Dr. Abdul Sindh Yamama
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Dr. Ayman is an accountant.
Editor-in-Chief
I'm sorry.
My grandfather, Zainuddin.
Chairman of Wafd Party
Dr. Abdul Sindh Yamama
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Dr. Ayman is an accountant.
Editor-in-Chief
I'm sorry.
My grandfather, Zainuddin.
"Popular proverbs.
The human dimensions of the craft professions "Symposium at the Forum of Heritage in Qena
For the second day in a row, the sessions of the first cultural forum of intangible cultural heritage between stability and change, organized by the Community Development Association for rural and urban women in Qena, in cooperation with the Supreme Council for Culture, Qena Governorate and the National Council for Women.
The forum was held under the patronage of Minister of Culture Dr. Nevin Al-Kilani, Minister of Social Solidarity Dr. Nevin Al-Kabbaj, under the patronage of Major General Ashraf Al-Daoudi, Governor of Qena, Ayman Badawi Abdullatif, Chairman of the Community Development Association for Rural and Urban Women in Qena, Dr. Hisham Azmi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Culture and Dr. Mohammed Shabana, Rapporteur of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee. Dr. Ahmed Saad Gerio, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Community Development Association for Rural and Urban Women in Qena and Secretary General of the Forum, and members of the Committee of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Supreme Council for Culture.
On the second day of the forum, the activities of the forum witnessed the discussion of 5 new researches in a session moderated by the poet Massoud Shoman, head of the Central Department of Cultural Affairs at the General Authority of Cultural Palaces, in the presence of Dr. Mohammed Shabana, Rapporteur of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee at the Supreme Council of Culture and Chairman of the forum, Dr. Ahmed Hamdi Shoura, former Dean of the Higher Institute of Social Service.
The session included a discussion on “Sustainability of Heritage and the Horizon of Renewal ” by Dr. Wael Al-Najmi, a research entitled“ Folk Proverbs and Traditional Crafts in Qana – Al-Fakhar as a Model – by Dr. Harees Abduljaber Abdulla, and another research entitled “Environmental Crafts Research and Reformation of Awareness ” by Mohamed Saleh Al-Bahar. Entitled" The Human Dimensions of Craftsmanship - Pottery Industries as a Model "by Dr. Sawsan Al-Sharif.
Dr. Wael Al-Najmi, in presenting his research entitled "Sustainability of Heritage and the Horizon of Renewal", said that the research stems from the background of the prevalence of the concept of sustainability, which came against the background of the decision of the World Commission for Environment and Development in the United Nations, which warned of the need not to affect the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, including cultural needs. A material and moral heritage that should be preserved and protected to extend through successive generations and one of the ways of preserving heritage is to practice its data, arts and creativity. When a poet in the present time skips all the experiences of modernity, prose poem and other experiences and chooses to use the template of square poetry to express himself and his inner self, in his interaction with the changes around him, this is one of heritage sustainability phenomena worth studying. When the poet (Amr) Shamroukh in his book night and the end of it 2020 using the structural methodology in analyzing the poetic phenomenon in the book.
He said that the research reached a set of results, the most important of which is that the roots of heritage in the Arab psyche in general and in the south of Saidi in particular, so that its expressive forms become a basic manifestation of identity expression in the face of the challenges of reality, as well as the need to find an effective mechanism for communication between modern generations and generations. The oldest in the art of squares for the process of faithful transmission of heritage to future generations, trying to preserve a heritage that is perfectly pure seems to be very difficult in practice.
In her presentation of her research entitled "Folk Traditions related to Palms Between Field Combination and Preservation of Craft", Dr. Jacqueline Bushra Joaquim explained that the research aimed to study palm-based handicrafts and understand the cultural elements that formed in the consciousness of the popular community, which were the reason for shaping their customs, beliefs and practices that were rooted in their conscience in line with their history and popular culture. It also radiates on culture a number of elements that fall under the genus of folk traditions, starting from its inception on the banks of the Nile, where it is practiced by an individual or a group of individuals to produce these crafts from natural local raw materials with traditional methods for use in the daily needs of individuals or for the purpose of permanent acquisition.
She pointed out that the popular artist was distinguished by his plastic abilities to delete and add to produce us an innovative aesthetic product that reflects the philosophy of the historical stage in which he lives, and carries in every part and in every form of semantic symbols, where the handicrafts inherited on the sum of experiences inherited by the artisans from their parents and grandparents and familiarity with manual techniques and distinctive formations stemming from the characteristics of environmental raw materials. In a manual way subject to their societies by the cultures that bear signs and symbols are the deposits of times and were effective signs in the customs, beliefs and practices of society to become these symbols have a readable significance that the craftsman was able to formulate, and find an aesthetic function for them to become expressive values associated with the basic function of the producer, which is the utilitarian function.
She said that the governorate of Qena is one of the most important governorates in terms of archaeological and historical aspects and has a number of features of cultural heritage, which is reflected in adherence to many customs and traditions that are still alive, where the research aims to develop handicrafts in Qena, and develop an approach that serves the individual and society and has a payoff. The marginalization of artisans has led to a lack of opportunities for youth employment and a lack of marketing channels for products.
The third research, which was discussed in the sessions of the forum, was entitled: "Folk Proverbs and Traditional Crafts in Qena - Al-Fakhar as a Model" by Dr. Haris Abdul Jaber Abdullah Ammar, who pointed out that the issue of stability and change is one of the recognized issues in all scientific and social fields. A cultural trait that distinguishes a people from other people.
Folk proverbs are the vessel of knowledge that is passed down from generation to generation. During this process of transmission, folk proverbs - as well as other aspects of folklore in general and intangible in particular - have undergone many changes. Since folk proverbs reflect the reality of man and his various aspects of life, there are many proverbs that express traditional crafts of all kinds.
Pottery from the traditional crafts that have emerged since the settlement of the Egyptian people around the Nile Valley in the Neolithic period made pots, as well as was used by the middle and poor classes in the process of education instead of the papyrus that was not accessible to those classes, and that pottery was known as the "Ostraca" or shqaf.
He said that the research aimed to identify the aspects of stability and change in the folklore intangible heritage in Qena, and to identify the relationship between folk proverbs and pottery craft in Qena, and to identify the importance of folk proverbs in preserving traditional crafts, especially pottery. Popular in the preservation of traditional crafts, especially pottery.
The fourth research was entitled "Environmental Crafts and the Reshaping of Consciousness" by the writer Mohammed Saleh Al-Bahar, who stressed that no one can mention the importance of heritage in all its forms and types, whether at the academic level that is interested in study and research, or at the level of the state that strives to preserve it from tampering and extinction, or at the popular level....
Despite all this importance and spread, the actual dealing with heritage remains confined to the field of museum folklore, and the dealing with it remains a great deal of transcendence as the old that ended its era, and must hide under the feet of modern civilization, and the tremendous technological progress that is teeming with society now.
Saleh Al-Bahr added that the research tried to restore the heritage as a living presence in the lives of people, capable of reshaping them again, and constitutes a real way out of the crisis of contemporary existence - individualism and alienation created by modern Western civilization, and imposed on them to become the firewood raging since the beginning of the industrial revolution until now.
The researcher turned to one of the most important types of heritage affecting people ’ s lives to date, namely environmental crafts, following its most widespread form in Qena governorate, namely pottery industry, and through the analysis of the stages of its manufacture, the research concludes that if revived again, and developed to suit the current reality to form a central axis in the life of society, this craft can contribute significantly to the reshaping of contemporary human consciousness. From the predicament of modern civilization, which violated it, through two basic elements: self-reliance and belonging or attachment to the land.
Through the application of Zoom, Dr. Sawsan Al-Sharif participated in the activities of the forum to present her research entitled "The Human Dimensions of Craftsmanship - Pottery Industries as a Model". At the beginning of her speech, she quoted Engineer "Hassan Fathi" in his book The Architecture of the Poor, that heritage crafts can be revived quickly, and it needs to be reconsidered. Mastering the profession and doing it with ingenuity, mastery and accuracy, often relying on manual labor and associated with knowledge and skill.
When we talk about pottery industries, it is as a profession, and when you mention certain people who work in them, they are experienced, knowledgeable and skilled craftsmen.
She pointed out that each profession has multiple dimensions, focusing on the human dimensions of the professions in terms of their similarity with man in some of his qualities, and their relationship to each other, and its impact on him, professions that require skill and craft in the manufacture of a living organism can age if realized by forgetting and neglect and wither and disappear, and have a memory if the person is occupied with his work, which generates a material income for a profession He will return to you with all his secrets and details, and the authentic professions will never forget his owner.
He said: “When we talk about pottery, we find similarities between him and man, starting from the origin of their composition, which is clay.
The owners of the profession of "pottery" as a living organism with pores that make him breathe, purifies the air coming from the outside to the inside, and purifies the air inside also, because of its very healthy natural components, and there is another similarity between them, that the heat reveals the hardness and strength of each, the crises experienced by man, reveal his metal and nature, either breaks or holds up and tries to recover from them and search for solutions.
This is similar to the fact that pottery is exposed to extremely high heat, and then the good kind of the bad kind appears.

This interweaving of artistry, tradition, and everyday use demonstrates the craft’s importance in sustaining Syrian social and cultural continuity amid modern-day challenges .

However, the status of traditional glassblowing in Syria today is precarious.

Title:

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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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The recent decades of war and economic hardship have caused severe damage to key artisanal centers and workshops.

Many glassblowers have been displaced, and numerous workshops—once bustling hubs of activity—have been damaged, closed, or destroyed.

While exact figures on the current number of active artisans are unavailable, reports indicate only a handful of workshops continue traditional practices, predominantly in Damascus and liberated areas near Aleppo.

Skilled practitioners often work in small, modest facilities, illustrating the craft’s fragile status while reflecting a determined resurgence.

Notably, artisans like Yassin Arab, who learned the craft from his father and now works to revive glassblowing in liberated locales, exemplify the resilience and dedication within the community.

Some glassblowers have practiced for four decades or more, underscoring the craft’s embedded lifelong expertise and familial transmission .

The decline in practitioners has placed Syrian glassblowing under threat of disappearance, which prompted UNESCO's inclusion of the craft on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in December 2023.

This listing was based on UNESCO’s evaluation of the craft’s vulnerability, exacerbated by ongoing conflict, economic instability, and the shrinking artisan community unable to continue intergenerational knowledge transfer.

The designation is a call to international and local stakeholders to prioritize urgent safeguarding measures aimed at preserving this heritage.

Title:

Content: Authentic Habits
“Tally Knitting ” expresses the heritage heritage and its aesthetics
T + T - normal size
Among the customs and traditions that stand out during the holy month of Ramadan is the weaving of the “tali ” to express the heritage and the aesthetics of its various elements.
This ancient craft is characterized by its bright colors and designs that embody a unique handmade art. Tally is used to decorate various types of women 's clothing, and is carefully and accurately woven to provide a thin ribbon that adorns the limbs and collars with unparalleled elegance.
Tali weaving skills have been passed down through generations, as the inheritance of this craft from mothers to daughters is one of the components of cultural history, and grandmothers and mothers carry the passion and talent for the continuation of this beautiful and unique heritage in the modern era.
Before the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, grandmothers and mothers buy fabrics to decorate them with “Tally ” in order to welcome Eid al-Fitr with popular costumes that tell a story of heritage to everyone who saw it.
Women produce embroidered textiles that are used to decorate women ’ s clothing. These yarns are distinguished by their bright colors and exquisite designs. The preservation of this craft is part of the UAE ’ s efforts to preserve cultural heritage. It was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, reflecting the love and passion of citizens to preserve and pass on their traditional traditions and culture to future generations.
Moza Abdulla, known as Umm Azan, highlighted the role of mothers and grandmothers in inheriting cultural heritage and preserving ancient customs and traditions. Tally knitting and decorating are not just skills mastered by women, but an art that carries with it touches of love, care and attention that is unparalleled, and this beautiful art is embodied in Emirati fashion.
The “tli ” is an integral part of the country ’ s cultural and heritage identity.
She explained that the patterns « Telly » require skill and high craftsmanship, where it requires 6 reels of thread and the production of one meter of this fabric up to 3 hours, and this delicate work requires a lot of patience and dedication, as women previously used silver or gold threads to weave « Telly » and embroider the pieces with metal threads mixed with cotton threads, which adds to the designs a decorative beauty suitable for festive occasions...
Umm Azan says that she is waiting for the month of Ramadan to highlight many traditional customs, the most important of which is embroidering clothes in preparation for the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, and is keen to prepare clothes for her daughters and granddaughters to make them an Emirati Ramadan habit in their lives.
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Preservation efforts include revitalizing workshops, supporting artisans in liberated areas, and promoting awareness of the craft’s cultural importance.

Concurrently, the listing seeks to encourage community initiatives and governmental programs designed to protect the craft amidst social and economic upheaval.

UNESCO documentation highlights the urgent need to sustain these artistic practices to preserve Syria’s cultural identity and maintain continuity in its rich artisanal traditions .

Direct testimony from practitioners underscores the human element behind these traditions.

For example, artisans describe their work as a creative and imaginative endeavor, emphasizing the ability to “invent and create any shape” that a customer or tradition might demand.

They view the craft not merely as a job but as a cultural mission, linking them personally to Syria’s historical legacy.

One master glassblower expressed pride in sustaining the “plastic arts” that embody Syrian creativity and identity, even in the face of adversity.

The manual techniques remain unchanged over generations, reinforcing the craft’s status as a living heritage that captures both the past and present .

In conclusion, Syrian traditional glassblowing represents a unique synthesis of ancient history, artistic skill, and cultural identity.

The craft’s production methods, distinct decorative colors, and forms embody centuries of accumulated knowledge transmitted through families and communities.

Its products are integral to Syrian cultural life, associated with markets, social rituals, and daily commerce, particularly through artisanal objects like hookahs which are both functional and emblematic.

The recent conflicts and related challenges have significantly marginalized the craft, but the ongoing resilience of a small community of artisans offers hope.

UNESCO’s recent urgent safeguarding designation reflects a global recognition of these urgent threats and calls for coordinated efforts to ensure the survival and flourishing of Syria’s glassblowing heritage.

This context will enrich your introduction to the expert glassblower’s demonstration, providing the audience with a richly nuanced appreciation of the craft’s deep roots, current peril, and enduring cultural value.