“Craft” project: Activating the role of youth in documenting and introducing traditional Syrian crafts

Damascus (ST): The Junior International Chamber JCI in Damascus is working on a heritage “craft” project that sheds light on traditional Syrian crafts, which was launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and the Syrian Trust for Development.

The project aims to activate the role of young people in documenting and introducing traditional handicrafts, by conducting field tours and building a unified database for all crafts, including the definition of craftsmen, the history of each craft and its products. It also seeks to introduce the local and international community to the importance of these crafts and their history linked to the Syrian heritage identity through twinning with the JCI in other countries, as it is considered an opportunity to enhance cultural understanding and exchange experiences between craftsmen in different countries.

The crafts that the Chamber has worked on documenting so far are the crafts of the glass making, which are “blown glass, Damascene stained glass, stained glass with lead, and painting on glass, engraving on copper, hammering on copper, and the Damascene sword, and the textile craft. including the rug industry.”

Vice President of the JCI  Muhammad Shihab al-Din Hassan,  said that among the reasons that prompted the Chamber to choose heritage crafts as one of its basic directions in 2023, is to highlight the importance of the intangible cultural heritage represented by the craft project.

Regarding the stages of work, Rana Abu Rashid, Director of the Craft Project, said: “The first stage is to shed light on traditional handicrafts, and to introduce the younger generation to the authenticity and history of these crafts through field tours. This stage results in making introductory “videos” that will be published on social media. “

K.Q.