A stall at the Handicraft Forum in Jeddah's Hilton Hotel. — SG photosSaleh Fareed Saudi GazetteJEDDAH — More than 150 Saudi businesswomen, 40 families, 20 national factories and 10 charities will promote their products at an upcoming exhibition of handmade items at the Jeddah Hilton Hotel starting on the 2nd day of Ramadan. The Originality of the Past and the Genuineness of the Present or Handicraft Forum is the title of the four-day traditional handicrafts exhibition, organized by Al-Iba Wa Al-Ruqiy Establishment for Conferences and Exhibitions in cooperation with Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA). The exhibition will be inaugurated by Princess Abta Bint Muqrin Bin Abdul Aziz and will display the traditional handicrafts of the Eastern, Central and Southern provinces of the Kingdom. “It is wonderful to have an exhibition which gives an opportunity for unemployed women to become effective members of society," said event organizer Hayfa Naji. “This bazaar gives people a chance to do charity work in Ramadan. We are helping productive families to promote their products and present traditional handicrafts." Dozens of traditional handicrafts will be on sale during the exhibition, including hand-woven clothes, embroideries, abayas, henna works, traditional foods, sweets, salted foods, flower arrangements, perfumes and household accessories. Naji said the event aims to enlighten people of the country's rich heritage and to keep the age-old custom of making traditional handicrafts alive. “Our mission is to help support small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. By offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional product sourcing, we aspire to introduce both up-and-coming and established handmade artisans and designers to the market, increasing exposure for their products. We believe in the ‘conscious consumerism' movement and supporting small businesses," she said. Naji noted that handicrafts in Saudi Arabia have been recognized as a key component for local tourism promotion and have also been recruited by regions throughout the country to help with community revitalization. “Our goal is to tell the story behind every handmade item and the wonderful people who made them. We hope to inspire creativity within every individual and increase the love for handicrafts. We will showcase products from crafters around the Kingdom and hope to spread the joy and passion with everyone who loves traditional handicrafts," she added. Naji said the recent achievements of Saudi exhibitions and functions concerning women's issues are the fruits of the vision and efforts provided by the Saudi government to support Saudi women and their ambitions. She added that the platform of the forum will give Saudi women a chance to attend various workshops and enter contests and other social activities.
