“Artisans for the Environment” Exhibition in Lattakia

 

An “Artisans for the Environment” Exhibition has recently been held in Lattakia.

The Syria Times e-newspaper toured the exhibition and met a number of participants in the event who stressed the importance of holding such an events to show the sweetness of the spirit among the Syrian artists and their commitment to the environmental issues.

Engineer Maya Yassin, head of Environmental Awareness Department at the Environment Directorate, said: “We are seeking, within the plan of the Environmental Awareness Department in the Environment Department, to raise the level of environmental awareness among citizens through holding various activities in the form of environmental initiatives such as cleaning campaigns in the streets and neighborhoods, exhibitions, tours and interactive activities within schools.

 

The exhibition displays a variety of handicrafts and Eco-friendly products. The exhibits ranged from handcrafts made of bamboo to hand-made accessories and artworks made from wood and copper in addition to flowers planted in vessels that  have been recycled.

The aim of this exhibition is to support associations that aim to protect the environment and help them to find a market for their products” .

Eng. Yassin went on to say: “In addition to the Directorate of the Environment a number of governmental  bodies, civil and environmental  societies ,the Department of Women, Association of the blind, Society of Souk al-Di’aa (the market of the village),

the National Association for Tourism Development  and  group of artisans,  youth groups , association of Peacemakers and the Inti (You)Initiative for the Development of Rural Women, Shagaff (passion) group which is of  young people working in the field of drawing on the glass and recycling old things to make new accessories and antiques,  participated in this exhibition”.

Amal Al-Hussein, one of the exhibitors, said that she participated in the exhibition with a variety of products, many of which are made of canvas, because of its many features . It is cheap, beautiful and last for a long time. Her products include shopping bags, carpet, covers for books and notebooks and trays .

Mrs. Amal continued, “The exhibition was a valuable opportunity for us to gain the experience that helps us develop our business and benefit others. It is also an opportunity to market our products”.

Agricultural Engineer Touhama Youssef said:” I work as a designer of accessories and beauty materials.

  My products, which I designed and executed myself, are recycled works of glass wax, shell, beads, wood and textile remnants.

There is also a collection of works in which I combined wood with copper.”

Ms. Touhama continued, “We are a people that creates love

We re-create things in another way that no one else thinks of.

Look at this shot, which is a symbol of death, how it was recycled to become a symbol of beauty and life, see how hate has been recycled into love.

I also display necklaces made of oak, wood and sea stones.

There are also very beautiful works that resulted from the recycling of grandmothers’ ideas in a new and modern way”.

Engineer Alaa Salameh said:” I participate in this exhibition with small copper works and various wooden works. These two elements have been combined to create a new kind of art, the Wire Art, which has produced unique artistic models that impressed our stand’s visitors.

Mr. Raouf Bitar, representative of Souk Al-Dia’a, said the exhibition had an important social advantage where it brought artists together in one place.

Our stand includes wooden artworks and wooden mosaic panels that highlight the history of Syria and show the sweetness of the Syrian spirit.”

Mr. Ali Shkouhi, a member of Blind Association, said: “Our participation in this exhibition consists of hand-made straw from the design and implementation of some members of the association .  It is the result of the rehabilitation and training courses made by the Association for some of its members to be a source of income for them. It also contributes to increasing the budget of the society which is  spent  in rehabilitating , training and educating the blind and helping those who are in need.”

The Exihibition was held in the presence of the Secretary of the Baath Party branch in Lattakia, Dr. Mohamed Shreitheh, the Governor of Lattakia, Major General Ibrahim Khader Al Salem, member of the Executive Office of Sport, Youth and Environment Dr. Amir Ismail and Dr. Lama Ahmed, Director of Environment in Lattakia.

 

Amal Farhat,  from Lattakia to the Syria Times