Damascus, Oct. 1 (SANA) Students displayed paintings alongside traditional foods and heritage objects at a cultural forum in Douma on Wednesday, in an event participants said helped younger generations learn about the region’s customs.
The two-day gathering at Douma’s Palace of Culture brings together school students, artists and heritage enthusiasts for exhibitions covering the folk traditions of Damascus countryside and Eastern Ghouta.
Now in its fifth edition, the Cultural Heritage Forum is organized by the Friends of Damascus Countryside Association in cooperation with the provincial Directorate of Culture. It features a book fair, traditional cuisine and a fine arts exhibition with paintings by students and local artists.
Participating students said the event gave them an opportunity to explore their ancestors’ heritage and present their own artwork. They called for similar gatherings to continue, allowing the public to learn more about local arts, customs and traditions.
Mahmoud al-Barghout, director of the Douma Educational Complex, said the combination of student work and heritage displays recalled aspects of daily life that students’ parents had experienced during childhood.
He said the event resulted from coordination among the Directorate of Culture, the association and schools in Douma and nearby Harasta.
Ayman al-Sayyed, head of the association, told SANA the forum had become an annual gathering covering different aspects of the region’s heritage, from food and traditional objects to books and visual arts.
He highlighted contributions by students and teachers from the arts secondary schools in Douma and Harasta, alongside support from the provincial directorates of Culture and Social Affairs and Labor and the Palace of Culture.
T.S /M.F
