Crafts from Saudi Arabia were displayed in the Saudi corner at the Gulf Social Work Exhibition, which concluded Wednesday at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry under the motto of “social partnership for sustainable development.” Organized to promote a culture of social responsibility and to encourage individuals to participate actively in community development through strategic programs, the 3-day exhibition was also an exercise in community partnership with other GCC countries. The Omani Ministry of Social Development participated in the exhibition with the country's unique traditional and cultural products. “We can offer lots of things from Oman, including traditional cloth like Dafari, Souri and Omani and also a variety of hand-made crafts,” remarked a representative from Oman. “In hand-made crafts, we have pottery, hand-made wooden ships and door frames, hand-woven rugs and a number of regional treats like fragrances from Salala. Our most famous export is silver jewelry, however, and we have also got that on display.” Abdullah Bin Ahmed, the director of social affairs in Makkah remarked that the participanting countries demonstrate the social and cultural development of their countries, by focusing on hand-made family products, which forms an important pillar of the social and physiological development of their society. He added that the focus of this exhibition was for productive families to showcase their talent and for the progress of social development in all GCC countries. The representative for Saudi products at the exhibition Ali Al-Hamd told Saudi Gazette that the aim - through the productive families program - is to promote social stability and provide these products with some marketing. He added that the concept of e-marketing can open a new marketing strategy which enables the marketing of such products. Other GCC countries like Yemen and UAE also displayed a great range of handmade products like jewelry, perfumes, clothes, leather products, and even traditional cloth dolls from Bahrain! “We have brought traditional hand-made things from UAE, made by poor families at home, which are sold all over the world,”said Moza Mahfouze the UAE representative.
