“Al-Yasmin wal-Seindian” Festival Kicks off in Aleppo

 Aleppo, (ST) –   With the participation of 100 entrepreneurs, the Jasmine and Oak Festival, organized by women entrepreneurs, was recently launched in the Aleppo Chamber of Commerce at the Sheraton Hotel.

The participants displayed their products, which included textile and wool handicrafts, embroideries, ornamental accessories and silver jewelry

Ready-made clothes, furnishings, pottery and copper products, carpets, soap, in addition to Aleppian thyme, foods and sweets that reflect the creativity of the Aleppian woman and the skill of the city’s artisans.

 Gina Mufti, a member of the business entrepreneurs of the Aleppo Chamber of Commerce, explained in a statement to SANA that the festival is an important opportunity for entrepreneurs to market their products and handicrafts over a four-day festival.

 She added that on the sidelines of the festival, educational activities and training courses were held for the participants under the supervision of specialists from the Aleppo Chamber of Commerce to enable them to display and properly market their products, as this event would be an opportunity for the direct sales to participants who do not own commercial stores.

Amer Hamwi, head of the Aleppo Chamber of Commerce, stated that the festival is part of the Chamber of Commerce’s endeavor to reduce the burden on the citizen by establishing charitable markets that provide food and consumer products to citizens directly, thus motivating women entrepreneurs to expand their small enterprises to achieve economic growth.

Suzette Mosley, one of the participants, said that her exhibits, which are handmade products, fashion and accessories, making flowers and embroideries, depict the ancient folklore heritage of Aleppo’s homes, where housewives excelled in knitting and embroidering this type of handicraft in an attempt to preserve these crafts and protect them from extinction.

 Omar Akash, who works with his wife in the manufacture of sweets such as halawa, tahini, cakes, garabij and handmade maamoul, pointed to the importance of the exhibition in marketing the products that he manufactures at home, hoping to achieve a new start after he lost his confectionery factory because of terrorism in the Old City. His wife expressed her joy at being able to display their products and introduce them to the exhibition’s visitors.

Fine artist Lucy Maqsoud said that she participates in the event through paintings, wooden works and handmade products that she colored and painted on them shapes, landscapes and phrases in Arabic calligraphy using natural materials and colors showing the artistic creativity in a simple style and reasonable prices.

Artisan, Omar Rawas, indicated that he participates in the exhibition with distinguished hand-woven carpets, stressing that he is striving to teach this profession to his children and to anyone who wants to preserve this craft, emphasizing that the exhibition is an important opportunity for him to introduce his products to the local market.

Ruba Manafikhi indicated that she participates in various handicrafts that she practiced over twenty years ago, including furnishings and embroideries, which a group of girls and people with special needs contribute to making, noting that the exhibition enables them to deliver these products to shoppers and those who are interested in traditional industries and heritage crafts.

Hussein Habash said that he participates with handcrafted copper-made products, including Delal Al-Qahwa, jugs, old utensils, and copper-engraved trays, pointing out that the exhibition contributes to marketing its products and introducing the new generation to the profession and craft of ancestors,

Visitors to the exhibition admired the displayed handicrafts that are made with high quality and a delicate sense of beauty and originality.

 Amal Farhat