Syrian traditional glassblowing is a craft of remarkable antiquity, with origins traced back over two thousand years to the invention of glassblowing itself in the broader Levant, including ancient Syrian hubs such as Sidon, Aleppo, Hama, and Palmyra in the 1st century BC.

Damascus, in particular, rose as a distinguished center for the evolution and flourishing of this art, becoming synonymous with the defining forms and motifs now identified as characteristically Syrian .

The technique at its heart has remained essentially unchanged for millennia: artisans use recycled glass, which they soften at high temperatures in furnaces.

The molten glass is then gathered on the end of a blowpipe, shaped by blowing air through the tube, and further refined by skilled rotation and manipulation.

The result is an impressive variety of objects, from utilitarian wares like bottles and cups to ornamental and architectural pieces.

The artistry of Syrian glassblowing is not limited to shape; it also finds expression in painting, coloring, and the application of traditional Islamic motifs.

Damascene glass, for example, is noted for its painted decorations and intricate use of oxides and pigments, especially on lamps and lanterns used in mosques (called mishkat), a practice that dates back centuries and underscores the city's reputation for vibrant and imaginative glasswork .

Culturally, this craft is deeply woven into Syrian society.

Traditional glassblowing is much more than artisanal production; it serves as a living expression of accumulated techniques, social practices, and a repository of cultural identity.

As one of the plastic arts, it enables artisans to combine practical skill and imaginative vision to produce distinctive decorations and colored forms, each reflecting historical and societal influences unique to the region .

Historically, Syria, and particularly the Levant region, has been recognized as a major reservoir of world heritage, with glassblowing assuming an essential role in the country’s living heritage.

Its survival is intrinsically linked to the continuity of Syrian cultural identity, where each generation of craftsmen has transmitted the practical and artistic knowledge to the next, often within family lines.

The work of artisans in the Sulaymaniyah Tekkiye, an historic market in Damascus known for glassblowing and related crafts, is a testament to these traditions.

Here, as well as in Aleppo, artisans have weathered social and economic storms to sustain these practices .

In the contemporary era, this heritage faces unprecedented threats.

The number of traditional glassblowers has dwindled significantly, a decline driven by protracted conflict in Syria, loss of tourism, economic hardship, and urban development pressures.

The transfer of knowledge from master to apprentice has been severely disrupted, mostly due to the displacement of craftsmen and the devastation of historic markets like the Sulaymaniyah Tekkiye.

This uncertainty has endangered both the economic viability of the remaining artisans and the future transmission of techniques, raising fears that the craft may soon be lost if urgent action is not taken .

UNESCO’s involvement reflects these perils.

In December 2023, traditional glassblowing in Syria was inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The decision was based on multiple factors: the rapid shrinkage in the number of experienced craftsmen, the interruption in family-based transmission, and the compounded effects of war, economic instability, and modernization.

With its inclusion, UNESCO aims to draw both international and local attention to the craft’s endangered status, promote support for remaining practitioners, and stimulate safeguarding measures such as exhibitions, educational initiatives, and apprenticeships to foster revival and ensure continuity .

Efforts to protect and revitalize Syrian glassblowing are ongoing but challenging.

Some committed craftspeople in Damascus and Aleppo have continued their work despite obstacles such as high production costs and the uncertainties caused by market renovations and declining consumer demand.

Cultural and educational initiatives now attempt to connect veteran masters with young people, hoping to rekindle interest in traditional methods and raise awareness about the cultural and economic importance of this craft.

The preservation and promotion of Syrian glassblowing stand as a testament to the value of intangible heritage in helping societies safeguard their identity, even under duress .

In summary, Syria’s traditional glassblowing is a living legacy that has shaped, and been shaped by, the country’s history and cultural identity.

Its unique techniques, motifs, and deep heritage link Syrians with their past.

Today, however, the craft teeters on the edge of disappearance, prompting UNESCO and the broader heritage community to call for urgent efforts to safeguard this irreplaceable strand of Syrian and world heritage .

Syrian traditional glassblowing is a craft of remarkable antiquity, with origins traced back over two thousand years to the invention of glassblowing itself in the broader Levant, including ancient Syrian hubs such as Sidon, Aleppo, Hama, and Palmyra in the 1st century BC.

Title:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Damascus, in particular, rose as a distinguished center for the evolution and flourishing of this art, becoming synonymous with the defining forms and motifs now identified as characteristically Syrian .

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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Umm Elias Museum of Traditional Crafts in the Damascus neighborhood of Hanania

The technique at its heart has remained essentially unchanged for millennia: artisans use recycled glass, which they soften at high temperatures in furnaces.

The molten glass is then gathered on the end of a blowpipe, shaped by blowing air through the tube, and further refined by skilled rotation and manipulation.

The result is an impressive variety of objects, from utilitarian wares like bottles and cups to ornamental and architectural pieces.

Title:

Content: Culture of Al-Baath Newspaper
I'm sorry.
Fouad Tubal..
The integration of the arts unit in his exhibition “Block and Color ”
Shweikani's wife.
The polyester sculpture of the flute player in her blue dress, which did not hide the curves of her swaying body with the melodious flute tones that wrap around her slender waist, filled a side of the artist ’ s exhibition.
Fouad Tubal, professor of Fine Arts at the Faculty of Fine Arts, sculptor, painter, researcher, critic and oud player, entitled “Block and Color ”, which was held at the Arab Cultural Center – Abu Rumman – at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture – Directorate of Culture of Damascus.
Toubal is known for his passion for the world of sculpture and works in the middle of the places and squares of some countries. He found in the hardness of flint stone, basalt and marble types magic and turned the hardness into a soft paste, while wood was suitable for his poetic sense of sculpture, in addition to the techniques of photography, graphics and ceramics he employed with his works inspired by nature, life and heritage.
His creativity was not limited to sculpture and photography, the doctorate he received from the Petersburg Academy was the beginning of his diligent research in the art of destruction and the art of ancient civilizations and ancient Egyptian civilization in particular, and he wrote books and presented many researches.
Despite all his preoccupations, he was interested in the musical heritage and the history of plastic art and participated and supervised many activities and seminars in cultural centers.
Variety of methods
His exhibition “Block and Color ” was filled with different variations, techniques and styles, as the materials and sizes of the sculptures, paintings and flat figures varied, and it looked like a small museum that reduced the experience of dr.
The decades-long Fuad Tubal.
He began his talk to “Al-Baath ” from the title: I called the exhibition“ Block and Color ” because I worked in sculpture, photography, graphic and painting on glass and porcelain, and the color was present even with sculptures, because today we have reached a merger between arts and cultures, a unit of currents and a fusion unit of the body and the painting even the advertisement sometimes merges with the body. Expressive, impressionistic, symbolic and even realistic styles, between photography, sculpture, architectural psychology, wood, stone and polyester materials.
Then I stopped with him about the flat sculpture “burnt ”, which was inspired by the burning of a young woman after a fire in her house: I happened to find a piece of wood from the walnut tree and part of it was burned at the workshop of my friend Bashar al-Halabi, the chopper maker, and I could maneuver only about five centimeters, to carve the movement of the neck and turn and I completed the leg from the trunk of the dark color of the wood. Burn and add oil only.
Goddess Ishtar
I participated in a meeting in Damascus Castle and found a cypress tree with many branches and trunks. The small branches I cut seemed to be roses inside the dress. The female repeats my works such as the sculpture of the birth of Ishtar, the goddess of love and beauty, because it symbolizes everything, and the sculpture of the woman in front of the mirror. And the woman in the shower, which I carved out of a very hard stone, volunteered it to become a soft paste.
Painting on glass
In the field of photography, I carried out with the technique of drawing on glass an interesting architectural scene that I saw in Saudi Arabia of a mosque, and analyzed it and then turned it into lines and painted it directly with the juice in bright colors on a blue background.
As for the large mural of the painting of faces, I was inspired by a historical and heritage scene from the duality of life and death, the astronomical symbol and a number of different personalities, including the Mawlawi, Sheikh and al-Shaabi (Qabadi), and then I stopped with him about the old polyester sculpture of Mount Qasyoun and what it means to Damascus.
Big names.
As for the views of visitors at the exhibition, he said that it found positive echoes of different readings according to the culture and vision of the recipient, and the exhibition was visited by elite artists and large names in the Syrian visual scene.
Cultural Communication
The exhibition expressed my message of cultural communication from the cultural centers, especially as I presented many cultural activities and critical seminars. I welcomed the invitation of the Ministry of Culture, the Directorate of Culture of Damascus, as culture is spreading despite the difficult situation in Syria.
The sculpture's still shy?
At the end of the discussion with dr.
Fouad Tubal asked him about the sculptural scene that is still shy in front of the photography?
He replied: We have good sculptors who fled to photography because of the difficulty of performing the sculptural work, which requires the use of electric machines that produce disturbing sounds to the neighborhood, the sculpture needs a special place to perform, while the artist can paint at home.
And the demand of students in the Faculty of Fine Arts for the Department of Sculpture?
He noted that most students tend to decoration and graphics, and some students choose sculpture willingly, and others join the Department of Sculpture according to differentiation, however, the Department of Sculpture includes students who were able to deal with materials and tools skillfully, and noted the skill of female students sculptors and their tolerance of stone, rocket and dust, and the fact that the Faculty of Fine Arts in all its departments graduated students. Hren.

The artistry of Syrian glassblowing is not limited to shape; it also finds expression in painting, coloring, and the application of traditional Islamic motifs.

Damascene glass, for example, is noted for its painted decorations and intricate use of oxides and pigments, especially on lamps and lanterns used in mosques (called mishkat), a practice that dates back centuries and underscores the city's reputation for vibrant and imaginative glasswork .

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

Culturally, this craft is deeply woven into Syrian society.

Traditional glassblowing is much more than artisanal production; it serves as a living expression of accumulated techniques, social practices, and a repository of cultural identity.

As one of the plastic arts, it enables artisans to combine practical skill and imaginative vision to produce distinctive decorations and colored forms, each reflecting historical and societal influences unique to the region .

Historically, Syria, and particularly the Levant region, has been recognized as a major reservoir of world heritage, with glassblowing assuming an essential role in the country’s living heritage.

Its survival is intrinsically linked to the continuity of Syrian cultural identity, where each generation of craftsmen has transmitted the practical and artistic knowledge to the next, often within family lines.

Title:

Content: Exhibition of craft products by Syrian and Russian artists in the public park in Aleppo
Halab-Sana
On the grounds of the public park in the city of Aleppo, the activities of the exhibition of craft products were launched today, with the participation of 20 craftsmen and artists from Syria and the Russian Federation.
The exhibition, organized by the Ministry of Industry in cooperation with the Russian Cultural Center in Damascus, the Federation of Artisans in Aleppo and the Syrian Professional Center Association, includes a collection of heritage and artistic works, paintings of Ajami thread, ornaments and handicrafts of wool, orphans, leather, rugs, carpets, bamboo and silver industry.
According to the President of the Union of Artisans in Aleppo, Mohammed Hossam Hallak, in a statement to SANA correspondent, the exhibition aims to highlight the traditional handicrafts and crafts and folklore professions to revive them by training the younger generations and mastering their industry to preserve them.
Mustafa al-Nu, President of the Syrian Professional Center Association, pointed out that the association worked to attract professionals and handicrafts, and provided them with financial grants to encourage them to continue their work, to preserve these crafts from extinction, in addition to training young people wishing to learn these crafts and develop them to suit the times.
The Russian artist Yuri Lishin, famous for the manufacture of blowing on glass, talked about his professionalism for more than 54 years, and his participation in many exhibitions in the world, indicating that his visit to Syria to learn about the glass industry, and participate in workshops on the manufacture of hand glass in Syria.
A number of participants noted the importance of the exhibition, which allows for the marketing of their products, where Zakaria Sultan, who works in the craft of silver and peat breaking, explained that he participates with silver and copper products and accessories made by hand in various forms for swimming pools, steadfastness, image cadres and chandeliers, in addition to grafting copper on wood, calling for providing the necessary support to maintain this profession.
The craftsman Ayman Saeed presented the results of the drawing on wood, which is called Ajami art, and stated that he learned to make this art and plant motifs and painting in Arabic calligraphy in the association, and became a trainer contributing to the revival of heritage, and that the exhibition is an important opportunity to market his products.
Artist Tala Naravyan participated in watercolor, oil and other paintings painted with pencils and charcoal, talking about the Armenian and Arab heritage and the neighborhoods of Aleppo and its citadel, pointing out that she participates to introduce people to the components of the rich Syrian heritage through painting because it constitutes the language of the world.
Samira Misto, who works in the craft of making the ancient traditional macrame, using colored threads and ropes to decorate the Koran, mirrors, clothes and jewelry, pointed out that she is working to develop this profession by adding beads and tree trunks to revive and preserve it.
Qusay Razzouk
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Aleppo Public Park

The work of artisans in the Sulaymaniyah Tekkiye, an historic market in Damascus known for glassblowing and related crafts, is a testament to these traditions.

Here, as well as in Aleppo, artisans have weathered social and economic storms to sustain these practices .

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

In the contemporary era, this heritage faces unprecedented threats.

Title:

Content: Sulaymaniyah in Damascus.
Do you want to throw out your guards?
While the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent saw in his dream that he was in a grove in the center of the capital Damascus, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) appeared to him and instructed him to build a mosque in that land. The Ottoman Sultan awoke from his sleep pleased with what he saw and heard. He immediately ordered to cut off a side of that grove and build a large kiosk in the middle of it. He was in a dream and pointed out.
This is the story conveyed by a number of writers and historians, the latest of which was Sheikh Najmuddin al-Ghazi in his book "The Walking Planets in the Eyes of the Tenth Hundred", about the decision of the legal sultan to build the Tekke Sulaymaniyah (west of Damascus) in the 16th century, one of the most prominent Ottoman tekaya and the most modern style and the most beautiful architecture, according to specialists.
Historically, the Tkiyet Sulaymaniyah was a place to perform religious duties and a resting place for pilgrims and a refuge for the maqtada and poor people of Damascus, Muslims and others, and remained so until the French colonizer entered the country in 1920; where General Guru and his forces took from the Tkiyet as a residence.
With the departure of colonialism and the advent of 1948, the Shari ’ ah school in Tkiyet returned to hold educational seminars and memorization of the Quran, and since the mid-seventies of the last century began to embrace dozens of shops of ancient Damascene handicrafts, and expanded this part to be known later as the market of handicrafts.
Recently, this complex cultural and religious identity of the heritage teacher has become threatened, after the Ministry of Tourism (in the government of the Syrian regime) notified professionals to vacate their shops before the end of the year under the pretext of restoration.
From Al-Ablaq Palace to Al-Tkiyet Sulaymaniyah
The site of Tkiyet Sulaymaniyah, west of Damascus, was known for the construction of a number of royal residences, the last of which was the palace of the owner of the Mamluk Sultan Baqiris (1228-1277 AD), which was named after the colors of the stones of its construction black and yellow brought from Aleppo and Daraa.
However, large parts of the palace were burned during the conquest of Damascus by the Mongol commander Tamerlane in 803 A.D. (1402 A.D.), and it was not until the Ottoman Sultan Selim I entered Damascus in 923 A.D. (1517 A.D.) that the Ablaq palace was restored and rehabilitated.
By 959 A.D. (1502 A.D.), Sultan Selim the Magnificent commissioned the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan to develop a modern architectural plan for a hospice on the site of the Al-Ablaq Palace. In 960 A.D. (1553 A.D.), a large number of workers began building the hospice under the supervision of the Damascene engineer Shahabuddin ibn Al-Attar.
Then rest on the banks of the Barada River "a luxurious architectural group that captivates the hearts of the hearts with its regular domes like knots around a large main dome, surrounded by two minarets, and interspersed with gardens and trees whose beauty blends with the beauty of architecture makes this spot in Damascus one of the most beautiful and beautiful spots", the Tkiyet Sulaymaniyah, as described by Abdul Qader Rihawi in his book "Architecture in Arabic".
Ottoman architecture and Damascene motifs
The building of the Sulaymaniyah Tekke consists of two similar architectural blocks, one large and includes the mosque and the other small and includes the school, and linked between these two blocks was a market dedicated to the caravans of pilgrims, and the Ottoman engineering effects on the planning and construction, while the Damascene artistic touch overshadows the designs of doors and windows and decorations that decorate the walls and rooms of the place.
The two architectural blocks are surrounded by relatively low walls, while the middle of them are two rectangular pools fed by water vertical fountains used for ablution, and the mosque with its narrow minarets tops the southern block, while the school mosque with its smooth dome tops the eastern block, and on the sides of the blocks spread buildings are shops and narrow rooms covered with low domes interspersed with low The chimneys are shaped like minarets and are led by shady arcades with ornate arches.
The Sulaymaniyah Tikkiye market extends from its easternmost to its westernmost, and is lined with dozens of shops that were previously commercial shops, and have since the 1970s turned into handicrafts shops.
In addition to its traditional role as a place for the betters, the poor and the needy, the Sulaymaniyah Tekke was designed to be a stop for pilgrims on the pilgrimage route to Mecca, where the place was equipped with spacious kitchens, bakeries, rest rooms, several prayer rooms, a sea for ablution and other necessary services for pilgrims.
When it became a teachers ’ house in 1923, it stopped hosting guests and sheltering arrivals for the first time since its establishment four centuries ago, but soon regained its identity as a hospitable place when it hosted a number of Palestinian families displaced to Damascus following the 1948 Nakba.
While the Sulaymaniyah school was famous for receiving students of Sharia sciences from all parts of the world, before turning, with the opening of the Syrian University in Damascus in 1934, into a place to teach dentistry, and then into an archaeological landmark that includes a war museum with the continuation of religious activities in the chapels and mosque to this day.
From an incubator to a bounty hunter.
In mid-October, the Ministry of Tourism in the government of the regime warned the Karar sheikhs of craftsmen in the handicrafts market to evacuate their shops before the new year 2023 for the purpose of restoration.
Despite the appeals of the craftsmen to the concerned authorities through the local newspapers and media, and the intervention of the Damascus Chamber of Tourism to promise the craftsmen their return after the completion of the restoration operations, Nidal Mashfej, Assistant Minister of Tourism, stressed that there is no legal provision obliging the ministry to renew the contracts of craftsmen after the end of each year. Shopkeepers have the right to claim any malfunction, damage, injustice or the like, the official told the official Tishreen newspaper.
A member of the Damascus Chamber of Tourism, Arafat Oza Bashi, points out that all the shopkeepers in the Sulaymaniyah Tkiyet hope to return to their shops after the completion of the restoration, to continue their work and preserve the intangible heritage threatened with extinction.
Haj Abu Mohammed, 57 years old, owner of a shop in Tkiyet, told Al Jazeera Net, "Years ago they evacuated the glass market of Tkiyet under the pretext of restoring it, and it is still a wreck and it is not clear if it will return to a glass market, and I do not exclude that our shop has a similar fate."
"As if they were not satisfied with the stagnation of the market in the last 10 years and the absence of tourists and visitors from our shops, which the simple citizen can not buy goods from them because of their high cost, and all the losses we suffered to continue to revive these crafts during the war."
The Sulaymaniyah Tikkiye has been undergoing restoration since 2019, and the first phase aimed to restore part of the Tikkiye and what is known as the glass market, while the second phase is dedicated to the handicrafts market and some parts of the interior of the Tikkiye “to preserve the archaeological site from landings and structural cracks, ” according to Nidal Mashfaj.
Source: The Island

The number of traditional glassblowers has dwindled significantly, a decline driven by protracted conflict in Syria, loss of tourism, economic hardship, and urban development pressures.

The transfer of knowledge from master to apprentice has been severely disrupted, mostly due to the displacement of craftsmen and the devastation of historic markets like the Sulaymaniyah Tekkiye.

This uncertainty has endangered both the economic viability of the remaining artisans and the future transmission of techniques, raising fears that the craft may soon be lost if urgent action is not taken .

UNESCO’s involvement reflects these perils.

In December 2023, traditional glassblowing in Syria was inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

The decision was based on multiple factors: the rapid shrinkage in the number of experienced craftsmen, the interruption in family-based transmission, and the compounded effects of war, economic instability, and modernization.

With its inclusion, UNESCO aims to draw both international and local attention to the craft’s endangered status, promote support for remaining practitioners, and stimulate safeguarding measures such as exhibitions, educational initiatives, and apprenticeships to foster revival and ensure continuity .

Efforts to protect and revitalize Syrian glassblowing are ongoing but challenging.

Some committed craftspeople in Damascus and Aleppo have continued their work despite obstacles such as high production costs and the uncertainties caused by market renovations and declining consumer demand.

Cultural and educational initiatives now attempt to connect veteran masters with young people, hoping to rekindle interest in traditional methods and raise awareness about the cultural and economic importance of this craft.

The preservation and promotion of Syrian glassblowing stand as a testament to the value of intangible heritage in helping societies safeguard their identity, even under duress .

In summary, Syria’s traditional glassblowing is a living legacy that has shaped, and been shaped by, the country’s history and cultural identity.

Its unique techniques, motifs, and deep heritage link Syrians with their past.

Today, however, the craft teeters on the edge of disappearance, prompting UNESCO and the broader heritage community to call for urgent efforts to safeguard this irreplaceable strand of Syrian and world heritage .


Global avocado consumption has risen sharply in recent years.

In the United States, per capita consumption reached 4.2 kg in 2022, a fourfold increase over two decades, with most avocados sourced from Mexico, particularly Michoacán .

Other regions, such as New Zealand, have also seen increases exceeding 25% in a single year, with worldwide demand outpacing supply in some markets .

Mexico is the foremost producer, supplying around 80% of the global market .

Economically, the avocado boom has provided significant benefits.

In Michoacán, Mexico, about 300,000 people rely on the avocado industry for their livelihoods, and export revenues from the U.S. alone have reached $2.8 billion annually .

However, this rising demand has substantial environmental costs.

In major producing areas like Michoacán, avocado cultivation drives deforestation, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and significant water consumption—up to 1,000 liters per kilogram of fruit, compared to just 300 for tomatoes .

In Chile and Peru, large-scale avocado farming exacerbates water shortages, particularly where water is already scarce .

At least 300 square kilometers of forest in Michoacán were converted to avocado plantations between 2018 and 2023, much of it via illegal land clearing .

Additionally, international transportation of avocados contributes to notable carbon emissions, with shipping from Latin America to Europe resulting in around 5.4 kg of CO2 per kilogram of fruit .

Socially, while avocado expansion brings jobs and income, it also creates challenges: criminal groups and cartels exert control in some Mexican growing regions, introducing violence and extortion .

Expansion of plantations has displaced indigenous communities, reduced food security, and led to labor exploitation and land grabbing.

Many farm workers face unstable conditions, low pay, and poor treatment, especially where criminal groups or large landowners dominate .

Global avocado consumption has risen sharply in recent years.

Title:

Content: Smashing news: Early season avocados just 80 cents each

Forks at the ready, avo fans – with the harvest just beginning, the fruit is already going cheap.

A scan of supermarket prices on Tuesday revealed avocados, harvested from August to February, were already selling for as little as 80 cents a pop.

A Countdown spokesperson said grower investment over the last couple of years meant it had a good supply of New Zealand-grown fruit.

“Over the last year, avocado sales have increased by more than 25%,” they said.

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Foodstuffs spokesperson Emma Wooster said more than 31 million avocados were sold in its New World, Pak ‘n Save and Four Square stores last year.

“We expect to see great value and availability on avocados continue as crops grow larger – great news as we know New Zealanders love some avo on their morning toast,” Wooster said.

NZ Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular said New Zealanders bought more than 80 million avocados last season, which was “a record, and a great one.”

“With increased prices for fruit and vegetables, and our new season crop available, it’s a great time for Kiwis to grab an extra couple of avocados in their weekly shopping and try avocados in new ways.”

But the bargain-basement prices come at a cost to avocado growers, who have already had a tough couple of years.

Repeated Covid-19 lockdowns, shipping problems and changing shopping habits had all impacted on growers’ ability to shift their produce.

On top of that, increased production in Australia, usually New Zealand’s biggest export market, resulted in an “avalanche” of avocados there last year.

The oversupply led to prices hitting a 15-year low of $1 each and a 76% slump in New Zealand’s exports across the Tasman.

Scoular said New Zealand produced about 1.5% of global avocado supply, and she believed demand in Asia could be “increased significantly with good investment in that market development.”

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

In the United States, per capita consumption reached 4.2 kg in 2022, a fourfold increase over two decades, with most avocados sourced from Mexico, particularly Michoacán .

Title:

Content: Go to contents
In one day, two politicians were killed in a Mexican avocado.
In one day, two politicians were killed in a Mexican avocado.
Posted February.
29, 2024 07: 26
Updated February.
29, 2024 07: 26
한국어
On the 26th, in the high-income avocado (Avocado • avocado), the world's largest producer of avocado, in Maravatio, Michoacán state, southeast Mexico, two candidates for mayor were shot dead.
Avocado is a healthy super food, especially in developed countries such as the United States.
However, in the local area of Mexico, various criminal forces around the control of circulation is very fierce, resulting in frequent violence.
According to local media reports such as "El Universal", on the afternoon of the 26th, in the center of Malabatio, Miguel Angel Reyes, the candidate for mayor and current doctor of the ruling party Morena (Morena), was shot dead by unknown persons on the way to the car.
On the same night, Armando Pérez Runa, a candidate for mayor of the opposition National Action Party (PAN), was also shot dead.
Authorities speculate that this is a crime committed by forces trying to influence the elections in the run-up to June 2, when the elections, parliamentary elections and local council elections are held simultaneously.
Michoacán is known as a region where various criminal organizations are active, such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Mexico ’ s most powerful criminal organization.
Conflicts of interest between organizations have been fraught.
Last year, the number of attacks against politicians and government associates (Michoacán) ranked fifth out of all 32 states.
At the same time, in Michoacán, avocados can be harvested four times a year, based on the mild climate, etc.
About 70% of Mexico ’ s avocado production comes from this region.
Most of this is exported to the United States, which accounts for almost half of world demand.
According to statistics from professional statistics website Statista, the per capita avocado consumption in the United States in 2022 is about 4.2 kg, an increase of about four times over 20 years ago.
With the increasing profitability of avocado cultivation, many criminal organizations vie for circulation rights.
Civic Data, a local civic group, fears that attacks by various criminal groups may reach the worst levels in history when local councils are sworn in and elections are held this year.
Illegal cultivation of avocado cultivation is also high. At least 300 square kilometers of forest have been turned into avocado plantations in 2018-2023.
In response, the authorities recently said that they will prevent the export of avocados grown on illegal farmland.
邮箱 ： donga @ donga.com

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

Other regions, such as New Zealand, have also seen increases exceeding 25% in a single year, with worldwide demand outpacing supply in some markets .

How has avocado consumption changed in recent years?

How have avocado prices changed in recent years?

Mexico is the foremost producer, supplying around 80% of the global market .

Title:

Content: For foodies, workers, restaurant owners and investors on both sides of the Rio Grande border, Friday brought a sigh of relief after the United States lifted its temporary ban on imports of Mexican avocados.

The week-long pause — albeit a short one — had fueled concerns in the avocado industry, from the workers who pick the fruit in Mexico to consumers worrying about a potential shortage of a staple in the diets of many Americans.

Mexico supplies about 80 percent of the avocados eaten in the United States. The import ban — stemming from purported threats to a U.S. inspector in the Latin American country — shook a billion-dollar industry. Not only did the commotion showcase the law enforcement issues that growers are frequently subjected to in Mexico, but experts said it underscored the importance of one of the strongest and most successful bilateral trade agreements.

Before being smeared into toast or squashed into guacamole, the avocado’s life begins in an orchard in Michoacán — a western Mexican state over a thousand miles away from the border and the only one allowed to send over avocados to the United States. From a bright-green fruit hanging atop trees to its final stage inside American kitchens, the avocado’s journey from seed to food encompasses different phases of inspections and agreements between the two nations — which suddenly took a hit.

Last week, a plant safety inspector from the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service was inspecting avocados in Michoacán, when he saw some avocados that looked suspiciously like they came from another state, according to USDA and other industry experts. He raised a red flag and soon after, he received a voice-mail threat. Then the USDA announced it was shutting down imports until it could be assured its agents were safe.

The potential of an impending shortage quickly rippled across the industry — one that came shortly before the Super Bowl, one of the avocado’s biggest events. Soon, food establishments and groceries began worrying about keeping up with a demand that has exponentially increased throughout the past decade.

Prices for the fruit deemed “green gold” were already 100 percent higher than the previous year, said David Magaña, a senior analyst for RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness. But the year-long availability of avocados had also increased as well — indicating that a surge in demand can be attributed to different factors, he said.

For one, avocados, with their versatility and healthy fat attributes, became a food trend and Internet obsession. At the same time, the Hispanic population booms across the country — with a larger share of Latinos among Gen Z — have been “one of the major forces pulling the demand for avocados,” the analyst said.

But behind all those green juices and avocado Instagram-worthy photos is the partnership between Mexico and the United States — which has played a crucial role in enabling the market to expand.

In 1995 — a time when “fat-free” food staples ruled the market — the United States did not have much of a taste for avocados. The majority of the consumed fruit was produced in California. Avocado imports that year totaled $14.7 million, of which $700,000 came from Mexico, said David Orden, a professor in the department of agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech.

Mexico’s avocados had been banned in the decades before the North American Free Trade Agreement from 1994, Orden said — mostly out of a concern that weevils, scabs and other pests could enter U.S. orchards from imported products. The trade agreement opened the door for the incremental expansion of avocados.

In establishing a system in which U.S. inspectors verify that avocados are pest-free — from when they are growing in orchards to the moment they are packed into sealed trucks — Mexico has been allowed to ship its agricultural product. It started with an approved wintertime stock in Alaska back in the ’90s that has turned into a current year-long supply in all states.

“So that’s all very encouraging and great story about growth and trade agreements, and something the U.S. is trying to do in other countries as well,” Orden said.

The agreement has contributed to economic progress in both sides of the border. Last year, “the two-way food and agricultural trade reached $65 billion, including $2.8 billion in Mexican avocado exports to the United States,” U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement. In Michoacán, some 300,000 workers depend on the avocado industry — including those doing the picking, the packing and the transporting of the fruit.

But their livelihoods have been threatened by encumbering cartels, who see the booming industry as a golden hen for profit, Orden said.

“It has attracted the attention of these gangs in an area where the cartels are not under control,” he said. “That’s where this story takes on a shadier color. But that’s really a law enforcement issue, and one that affects all of our relationships with Mexico.”

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said in a statement that it had worked with the Mexican government and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico to enact “additional measures” to safeguard the safety of its inspectors.

While the agency did not disclose what such measures encompass, they served to avert what could have been a costly avocado crisis — one that would had impacted plenty, from those picking the fruit to those biting into their avocado toasts.

“With this we ensure the exportation of fruit and provide economic certainty to farmers and day laborers,” Michoacán Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla tweeted Friday.

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

Economically, the avocado boom has provided significant benefits.

Title:

Content: Avocado: Between Environmental Impacts and Global Market Controllers
In the Mexican state of Michoacán, which produces about 80% of the world ’ s avocado, avocado cultivation has depleted local water supplies and caused severe environmental damage, with studies showing that avocado cultivation has led to deforestation, soil erosion and chemical contamination of water sources.
(Getty)
In recent years, the avocado industry has become a staple in many diets around the world, and its popularity has increased greatly due to the multiple health benefits.
However, the demand for this fruit has led to harmful environmental effects and the emergence of a mafia that controls the production and distribution of avocados in some countries.
A Chilean study published recently said that avocado cultivation has caused severe water shortages, as well as in Peru, where large farmers have dominated the avocado market since the 1990s, where cultivation requires huge amounts of water, the production of one kilogram of avocado, consumes about 1,000 liters of water, much more than other crops such as tomatoes or oranges.
According to a report by the Water Footprint Network, the production of one kilogram of tomatoes requires about 300 liters of water, and the high water use of avocado production has led to water scarcity and depletion of aquifers in some areas.
In the Mexican state of Michoacán, which produces about 80% of the world ’ s avocado, avocado cultivation has depleted local water supplies and caused severe environmental damage, with studies showing that avocado cultivation has led to deforestation, soil erosion and chemical contamination of water sources.
According to the report, moving avocados from the production site to the market also has a significant impact on the climate, as avocados are grown mainly in developing countries, and are exported to developed countries such as the United States, Europe and Japan, and the transport of avocados over long distances contributes to greenhouse gas emissions harmful to the environment. Approximately 5.4 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per kg of avocado.
Avocado production has also led to the emergence of a mafia that controls the production and distribution of avocados in some countries, where the avocado mafia operates mainly in Mexico, where it controls the production and export of avocados, and this mafia, according to media reports, consists of criminal organizations that use violence and intimidation to control the production and distribution of avocados, and often extort money from farmers. The avocado mafia uses violence to eliminate competitors and dominate the export market, as studies have shown that these gangs are responsible for deforestation, land grabbing and violence against indigenous communities in Mexico.
According to dozens of studies published in recent years, avocado cultivation also has negative effects on local communities. In some areas, demand for avocados has led to land grabbing, community displacement, labor exploitation, and avocado cultivation in the Mexican state of Michoacán has led to the displacement of indigenous communities and the exploitation of often paid migrant workers. Some studies have shown that the expansion of avocado cultivation has displaced traditional crops, leading to food insecurity and loss of biodiversity.
According to the study, governments around the world can take various measures to mitigate the impact of this agriculture on the climate, and one way is to promote sustainable avocado farming practices that reduce water use and reduce the use of chemicals. Protect the environment, provide financial incentives to farmers and enact laws that will deter illegal and criminal practices in these countries.

What are the positive effects of the global demand for avocados on the countries and regions that produce and export them?

In Michoacán, Mexico, about 300,000 people rely on the avocado industry for their livelihoods, and export revenues from the U.S. alone have reached $2.8 billion annually .

What are the countries and regions that produce and export avocados?

What are the positive effects of the global demand for avocados on the countries and regions that produce and export them?

However, this rising demand has substantial environmental costs.

Title:

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Mike Coudrey’s Tova Farms Raises Nearly $1 Million In Funding, Adds Strategic Export Partners

·2 min read

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 17, 2022 / Tova Farms said Monday it raised $950,000 in a Series A funding round that values the agricultural company at approximately $1.4 million - nearly triple its last reported valuation in 2021, according to PitchBook data. The Puerto Rico-based company, known for its innovative investment strategy, has now raised nearly $1.2 million to date.

Tova Sustainable Farms CEO, Michael Coudrey

Avocado agriculture is a billion-dollar industry that's failed to move with the speed of the 21st century, long reliant on outdated supply chain management, inadequate commercial operations in jurisdictions nearby to the target market, and import/export phytosanitary regulation that act as a blockade for international trade. Numerous challenges - from congestion at ports to shortages of shipping containers - have arisen throughout the pandemic, leading to higher produce costs and delivery delays, and magnifying how critical the often-taken-for-granted agricultural industry is more broadly.

Tova Farm's commercial farming operations exceed 5000 acres, and their additional local sourcing methodology positions them as a multinational powerhouse in the global avocado industry. Tova's innovative approaches to local sourcing in cost-effective jurisdictions, policy and trade agreement brokering between governments, and its influential political arm allow it to rapidly expand its operations, while also moving the market in a positive direction for smaller agricultural companies, giving them an opportunity to take advantage of the openings in international trade.

In the past year, founder and CEO Michael Coudrey has focused on questions like how can avocado be produced and exported in the most cost effective manner - the company has recently signed export agreements with leading European firms.

"The avocado market has increased substantially in the last two decades, and our company seeks to capitalize and control a large market share of such revenues, as well as vertically integrate across our supply chains," Coudrey said in a statement announcing the funding. "This investment signals that the market recognizes the need for a tech-enabled agricultural ecosystem that has the visibility and resilience to handle unexpected challenges of any scale."

Tova Sustainable Farms has more than 5000 acres of commercial farmland and export partners in 6 countries, and reportedly doubled its commercial operations within the last year. With fresh financing, the company says it plans to begin expanding into new markets and accelerate the development of its current operations.

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SOURCE: Tova Farms

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/688502/Mike-Coudreys-Tova-Farms-Raises-Nearly-1-Million-In-Funding-Adds-Strategic-Export-Partners

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

In major producing areas like Michoacán, avocado cultivation drives deforestation, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and significant water consumption—up to 1,000 liters per kilogram of fruit, compared to just 300 for tomatoes .

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

In Chile and Peru, large-scale avocado farming exacerbates water shortages, particularly where water is already scarce .

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

At least 300 square kilometers of forest in Michoacán were converted to avocado plantations between 2018 and 2023, much of it via illegal land clearing .

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the environment?

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

increased criminal activity
land grabbing

Additionally, international transportation of avocados contributes to notable carbon emissions, with shipping from Latin America to Europe resulting in around 5.4 kg of CO2 per kilogram of fruit .

Socially, while avocado expansion brings jobs and income, it also creates challenges: criminal groups and cartels exert control in some Mexican growing regions, introducing violence and extortion .

What are the positive effects of the global demand for avocados on the countries and regions that produce and export them?

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

Expansion of plantations has displaced indigenous communities, reduced food security, and led to labor exploitation and land grabbing.

What illegal activities have surfaced in avocado trade in recent years?

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

labor exploitation
land grabbing
displacement of local communities

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

Many farm workers face unstable conditions, low pay, and poor treatment, especially where criminal groups or large landowners dominate .

What illegal activities have surfaced in avocado trade in recent years?

What negative impact has the increased global demand for avocados had on the social structure and the economy of the countries that produce them?

What strategies can make global avocado trade more ethical?

improving working conditions for employees