Damascus-SANA
The cracks and fissures that afflicted the floors and walls of the Sulaymaniyah Hospice building in Damascus carried with them great dangers to its occupants, and threatened the collapse of this important historical archaeological landmark. With the aim of continuing the work of handicraft craftsmen, the Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with the Ministries of Awqaf, Culture and Industry, and the Union of Craftsmen, secured a suitable alternative site for shop occupants. Within the Al-Takiya Building, by (craftsmen and trainees) at the Dummar Central Incubator for Traditional Arts in Damascus.
The Director of Tourism Development at the Ministry of Tourism, Eng. Rama Al-Sheikh, confirmed in a statement to SANA reporter that the incubator is being completed within two weeks of securing and preparing the appropriate place, to receive and accommodate 40 artisans who were present in the hospice, to ensure the continuity of their work and the preservation of their crafts and that they would not be interrupted by work. Restoration, where the Ministry is keen to secure everything necessary for the craftsman to carry out his work within the place designated for him.
Al-Sheikh affirmed that the ministry continues to provide full support to craftsmen in promoting their products, professions and traditional crafts that they excel in, through the exhibitions that it holds and participates in inside and outside Syria, and work is underway to include an item for visiting the incubator for those coming to Damascus, within the programs of travel and tourism offices. In addition to operating a transmission line between the main bridge and the incubator to facilitate access.
Regarding the status of the hospice building, Al-Sheikh explained that the structural condition of the hospice needs attention and an integrated restoration as a necessity, because the building was damaged due to subsidence in the soil on which it is built, which negatively affected the domes and arches in it, and caused cracks and cracks in it, in addition to the zigzags in the ground of the building. , which made it prone to collapse, stressing that there is no private investment for the building, and that the time required to finish its restoration is linked to the reality of studying and exploring the soil and the foundations on which the building is built.
The executive director of the incubator, Louay Shekou, said: We received, through the Ministry of Tourism, lists of the names of craftsmen who were practicing their crafts within the hospice, and we worked in cooperation with the ministry and the Federation of Chambers of Tourism to prepare places and halls for them, with a total area ranging between 650 and 850 square meters, which are precisely determined by a committee A specialist who studies the needs of each craftsman, his production requirements, and his raw materials.
Shekou explained that nothing will change for the coming craftsmen. Just as the hospice was of an archaeological character and linked to the history of the region, the incubator also has a heritage character because it is located within the ancient Dummar glass factory, one of the largest and oldest Syrian factories, and the area within the incubator is larger than that within the hospice. In addition to the presence of places designated for training and education for various trades and professions, as well as the advantage of industrial, commercial, tourism and vocational licenses granted to the incubator, the benefits of which the craftsman will get.
For his part, the head of the Sulaymaniyah Takiyeh Committee and the head of the Heritage Professions Division in it, Arafat Ota Bashi, stated that all the craftsmen’s items in the Takiyeh are transferred to the incubator, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, and that this was done in agreement with all the craftsmen, and within easy procedures and at the expense of the Ministry, and no one was excluded. Literal.
Ota Bashi pointed out the keenness of all artisans, in coordination with the concerned authorities, to develop and strengthen their presence in the markets, through presence and participation in local and foreign exhibitions, with the aim of restoring the brilliance of Syrian products known for their durability, accuracy and creativity of their maker.
Bassam Al-Sidawi, a craftsman in the leather industry, explained that the new place he got within the incubator provided him with sufficient space to practice his work, and displayed his products represented in oriental leathers such as bags, shoes, belts, accessories and boards, pointing to the role of the incubator in preserving heritage professions, as it contains many training halls Which allows all artisans to educate their children and pass on their heritage to future generations.
For his part, Samer Waqa, craftsman of Al-Manjour, Al-Khayt Al-Arabi and Al-Sharqiyat, explained the importance of gathering a large number of craftsmen in one place as an incubator, because of the broader partnership it achieves with craftsmen and employers, which contributes to the development of each craft and creates new ideas that enrich products and their makers.
The Dummar Central Incubator for Heritage Arts of the General Federation of Craftsmen opened on December 8, 2020, on an area of 13 dunums, as an integrated productive development project, aimed at preserving traditional crafts from extinction and training current generations on them through senior craftsmen, who were carefully selected for Refine the talents of young people, graduate a generation of skilled craftsmen, produce handicraft products and find internal and external markets for these products.
Louay Hossamou and Gemma Ibrahim
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