Damascus, Feb. 26 (SANA) Syria presented its national approach to safeguarding traditional crafts at a regional forum in Egypt, outlining efforts to unify Arab mechanisms for documenting intangible cultural heritage and linking preservation to sustainable development.
The forum, organized by ALECSO in cooperation with Egypt’s Ministry of Culture, brought together seven Arab countries. Syria was represented by the Directorate of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Culture.
Director Rola Aqili said Syria’s participation reflects efforts to strengthen the protection of intangible heritage in line with international standards. She noted that Syria’s experience includes preparing a national registry and inventory lists while engaging local communities in documenting traditional knowledge.
Aqili said linking craft documentation to development plans supports economic empowerment, cultural entrepreneurship and job creation, particularly for youth and women.
Participants called for establishing a unified Arab database of traditional crafts, adopting standardized methodologies consistent with international conventions, expanding regional cooperation and strengthening training in field documentation and digital archiving. The forum, held in Cairo on Feb. 5 and 6, addressed electronic documentation tools, community participation and national inventory practices across Arab states
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