Heritage Festival held under the title “The originality of the past and the creativity of the present”

The Arab cultural Center in Kafr Souseh in Damascus recently held a Heritage Festival entitled “The originality of the past and the creativity of the present ”.

The 3-day event was organized in cooperation with Dummar central incubator for traditional crafts arts.

The exhibition of heritage   included :Oriental musical instruments,  leathers decorated with seashells and other products.

Adnan Tenbkji,  the organizer of the exhibition and handicraft man (Sheikh Al- Kar ) said to Syria Times: “ In this  festival for heritage, we display a large number of  handmade  exhibits such as copper exhibits, musical instruments, seashells, glass mosaics, aromatic oils, and fashion designs and others. This exhibition is of great importance to preserve our oriental heritage, and to revive these crafts.”

Firas Slka , Sheikh Al-Kar in musical instruments, was among the participants. He  said : “The manufacturing  of musical instruments is as old as history. Made and developed by Arabs”.

 “ Syria is considered the first country in the manufacture and export of the Oud. Nowadays,  this craft has developed through using modern technology…. Now oriental Oud is decorated with shells. We have used modern techniques to preserve this oriental musical instrument which is part of our heritage” he said.

Areej Ali, Sheikh Al-  Kar of soap making , and a trainer at the Dummar Incubator participated in this event to show her handmade soaps and other natural products.

She  said :” I display soaps and cosmetics that are made from natural materials and they are useful for the skin. Handmade soap is a very old craft and we should preserve it.” 

Wesam Al- Ahmad displayed handmade dolls which are made of textile.

She displayed her handmade textile toys to acquaint others with her beautiful dolls.

 Reported by : Nada Haj Khidr