“Made in Syria” Shopping Festival” in Lattakia

Activities of the monthly “Made in Syria” Shopping Festival” concluded recently in Lattakia province with the participation of 120 industrial and commercial companies specialized in engineering, health, food and textiles industries.

Tala Kalaji, a member of Damascus Chamber of Industry and chairman of the Festival’s organizing committee told Syriatimes e-newspaper that “holding such activities is an important economic event to support the national economy and  to stress that the Syrian industry is recovering despite the heinous war on the country.”

He highlighted the importance of the festival in terms of items and products offered at affordable prices to meet citizens’ needs.

 Wide range of local industries

 Kalaji pointed out that the festival exhibited a wide range of local industries and hand- made products  including food, cosmetics, stationery, plastic products, detergents, perfumes and textiles.

He indicated the wide participation of the private industrial sector side by side with the public establishments, stressing that the festival allowed direct communication between producers and consumers and noting that discounts exceeded 50 % on some products.

This year will witness large number of festivals as the organizing committee will arrange three festivals in three provinces within a month and will launch such an event in new provinces like Hama, Homs and Aleppo, according to Kalaaji .

He noted the Industry ministry’s support to industrialists through providing them with all necessary requirements in order to continue work and production, adding that the discounts help manufactures increase their sales volume on one hand and enable low-income citizens to buy what they need on the other hand.

Vouchers to Martyrs’ Families

Kalaaji indicated that the festival provided purchase vouchers free of charge to martyrs’ families and wounded army personnel in appreciation of the heroic achievements and sacrifices of the Syrian Arab army in defense of the homeland against takfiri terrorism.

He confirmed that the festival succeeded in promoting national Syrian companies, thereby defying the unjust blockade and coercive embargo imposed on Syria. He pointed out that the Syrian industry has been able to prove its presence and brilliance as a competitor in the markets of neighboring countries in terms quality and competitive price.

He added that industry in Syria has been recovering since last year and hundreds of factories have returned to production and many industrialists have reopened their factories after the return of security and stability to their workplaces in Damascus and Aleppo.

Eng. Abdulstar Al-sayyed, Doua’a Jlelati and Bashar Al-kheami, who are representatives of some companies participating in the festival, said the event witnessed a remarkable turnout which reflects the importance of the festival and contributes to promoting the Syrian goods in the markets.

The three asserted that their participation was “a clear message to the world that Syria is a strong country thanks to the Syrian Arab army which continues to achieve remarkable victories over terrorists nationwide.”

Government support

They stressed that the relative recovery of the Syrian industry and the Syrian government’s perpetual support for national industry have encouraged them to find new channels and means to promote and market their products, with festivals being one of these means.

Other participants pointed out that their participation was provoked by the local need and requirements for rebuilding the industrial sector and backing the national economy.

Visitors of the festival expressed their admiration over the quality and development of the Syrian industry despite the war and coercive economic measures imposed on the Syrian people.

The first “Made in Syria” Festival was launched in April, 2015 in Mazzeh in Damascus. More than 50 rounds of the festival have so far been held in Damascus, Lattakia, Tartous and Hama.

Interviewed by Rawaa-Ghanam