Damascus, SANA – The Tourism Ministry launched on Saturday the first traditional handicrafts fair in the historical site al-Tekkiye al-Sleimaniye, which is an antique complex containing a mosque, a museum, and a handicrafts market.
Tourism Minister Bishr Yazigi stressed the need to work to overcome the difficulties that affect traditional handicrafts and to promote and export handicrafts, adding that the Ministry intends to organize temporary “heritage fairs” to market handicrafts in addition to promoting them online.
Craftsmen and artisans from across Syria are participating in the forum, which showcases a diverse range of traditional crafts including pottery, carpets, textiles, woodwork, mosaics, sculptures, candles, and soap, in additional to newer handicrafts like accessories, herbal beauty products and items made from recycled materials.
One example of the new handicrafts present at the fair is presented by a project named “Women Bring Back Life” for recycling used textiles, in which participating ladies create various items like tablecloths, sheets, bags, toys, and tapestries from used and old cloth.
The fair will conclude its activities on Thursday May 7th.
Hazem Sabbagh