The Damascus International Fair from A to Z

Economic, Social, Culture and Artistic Messages of Victory are sent to the World

Once again, Damascus sends its word to the world. From its military victories, the most recent of which was in the southern and southeastern Idlib countryside to its continuous economic victories until the last day of the 61st Damascus International Fair, which is improving day by day with the increase of the production process, the return of export and trade exchange between Syria and many countries against all unfair decisions and unilateral economic sanctions.

During ten days, the Damascus International Fair this year formed an economic, social, cultural and artistic victory witnessed by 38 participating countries within the Fair and many other countries sent their businessmen and media figures to cover this important event on the local and Arab level in a country that continues to fight terrorism from its territory on the one hand and struggles with life and work on the other hand.

Economic contracts, agreements and forums:

The Damascus International Fair’s first goal is the economic dimension, it is necessary to start talking about the agreements and economic forums that the Fair witnessed in its current session.

The 3rd Forum of Syrian-Russian Businessmen was the first economic activity in the Fair with the participation of a number of senior Syrian and Russian businessmen, during which they discussed investment, economic and commercial exchange and ways of developing them between the two countries. They also discussed the investment, commercial, economic and agricultural opportunities in Syria, especially in the rebuilding era.

While the Ministry of Transport held “Investment and Investment Opportunities in the Transport Sectors” on the ground of the Fair City. A number of Arab and foreign companies presented investment projects in the field of railways, roads and maritime transport sectors.

On the other hand, Al-Haji Company for the Export of Vegetables and Fruits with the Syrian House in the Russian Republic of Crimea signed a 2 million- contract to export quantities of vegetables, fruits and olive oil.

Nine Syrian businessmen and a Lebanese businessman announced the establishment of a fruit and vegetable export company.

The visiting delegation of the National Union of Syrian Expatriates in Europe signed two contracts that included importing firms national food companies from the private sector, in order to reach Syrian products to European markets.

Several local Syrian companies in the Union of Chambers of Agriculture signed contracts to export 19,000 tons of vegetables and fruits to Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.

The Syrian International Company for Educational Technologies signed a cooperation agreement with the Iranian Company Noven for the Production of Renewable Resources Electric Power to establish 5 megawatt- renewable energy plant in an area between Homs and Hassya.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources signed three contracts with Russian companies in the oil and gas sectors.

One of the important meetings that the Damascus International Fair witnessed for the first time is the meeting of the Cabinet’s Economic Committee which was specialized in discussing ways to develop and support the Damascus International Fair and meet the demands of exhibitors and producers to reflect positively on the economic life in Syria.

Direct services to citizens by government departments directly on the land of the Fair:

The pavilions of ministries and government departments provided many services for citizens, such as the issuance of identity papers from the Directorate of Civil Affairs, the Department of Criminal Security and the Traffic Department within the Ministry of Interior’s pavilion.

The Syrian Trade Establishment’s pavilion presented a large offer for visitors of stationery and school dress at suitable prices and discounts due to the beginning of the educational year with the activities of Damascus International Fair.

As for health services, the Damascus Countryside Health Directorate’s health center provided free medical and healthcare services to visitors through 30 doctors and nurses who dealt with different emergency cases.

Foreign participation is greater than in previous years:

It is true that 38 countries participated in this year’s Damascus International Fair, but it was remarkable in this participation that the number of companies from these countries increased from the previous sessions of the exhibition and some of them were the first timers, indicating the extent of the scope of the exhibition and the restoration of its past.

According to the Director General of the General Exhibitions and International Markets General Establishment  Ghassan Fakiani the number of Iranian companies increased this year  to more than 60 companies, Algerian companies to 18 and Russian to 16 companies, while seven Portuguese companies registered their first participation in the Fair.

Delegations of Syrian expatriates who came to visit the Fair, including a delegation of Syrian expatriates from Venezuela and their families, which included 150 people and a delegation from the Union of Syrian Expatriate Students in Europe.

Syrian and Arab singers celebrated the days of the Damascus International Fair

The 10 day -Artistic Festival of the Fair witnessed a large audience who interacted with the Syrian and Arab artists such as Shadi Jamil, Walid Tawfiq , Ali Deek, Mourad Melhem, and Reza.

The Ghabala and Al- Muhara Folklore Bands performed dances.

Drama artists, paragliding, a parade of Arabian horses, and the Al Basil Exhibition are on display:

At the entrance of the Fair on the left corner draws your attention crowded in front of the media center is a group of Syrian drama artists who attend daily to provide radio dramas in front of visitors to the Fair in addition to the storyteller who presents the history of the Fair since its opening until now to the public directly.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform’s the Bureau of Arabian Horses presented a march of the Arabian horses.

The Ministry of Tourism in cooperation with the Syrian Gliders Club Association performed a gliding plane show over the airspace of the Fair City. European, Arab and Syrian expatriate and Syrian pilots participated in the glider flights.  

The most important event that includes the creations and inventions of the Syrian youth is the Al-Basel Exhibition for Creativity and Invention, which opened its activities in a booth within the Damascus International Fair organized by the Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection in cooperation with the Higher Commission for Scientific Research and the Creativity Association and the Inventors Association to show 387 inventions for 827 participants from public and private universities. 

Varying numbers of visitors are well organized:

According to the Director General of the General Organization for Exhibitions and International Markets Ghassan Al-Fakiani said that the number of the visitors to the 10 day- Fair reached one million and 462 thousand visitors, between 100 thousand and 300 thousand visitors daily.

Fakiani said: “We did not receive any complaint during the days of the Fair  and this is a sign of satisfaction of visitors and participants.”

On the sidelines of the exhibition days

A number of cultural events were held in Damascus downtown, including a painting exhibition organized by the Directorate of Fine Arts for a group of Syrian artists within the cultural days held by the Ministry of Culture on the sidelines of the Fair in Dar Al-Assad for Culture and Arts’ Exhibition Hall.

Conclusion:

Every year. Syria sends messages of joy and victory from the heart of its capital Damascus and the largest of these messages was sent from the land of the Damascus International Fair. It is the largest economic, social and cultural events in the region.

 

Reported by Obaida al-Mohammad