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A number of artisans have expressed their appreciation of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) for organizing several events for them to showcase and market their handmade products as well as to develop their skills through a number of training courses.
The artisans made their remarks while participating in a heritage event that was held recently on the sidelines of the exhibition titled “Prince Salman … Pioneer of Urban Heritage” organized by the SCTA at the King Abdul Aziz Historical Center in Riyadh.
Artisans also talked about how much they suffered for marketing their products, and commended the help extended by SCTA in promoting their products. The SCTA organized exhibitions and hosted pavilions in its events for handicrafts, they added.
Nasser Mohammad Al-Jedai said he has been working as a sculptor for the last 17 years, and that he persistently sought to develop his craft through practice and gaining experience from other professional and senior sculptors.
He had trained several youth in the art of sculpture, including 20 high school students, in addition to a number of people with special needs. “Training courses, in the first place, are aimed at preserving the craft of our ancestors,” he added.
Yousuf Mohammed Jowaid, also a craftsman, who is both a carpenter and sculptor, said that he was attracted to the traditional crafts when he was young: “I work hard to preserve the crafts of our forefathers, I work to develop them to attract the present generation.” He added that he is practicing the craft for the last 5 years.
Umm Ahmed expressed her appreciation of the SCTA for allowing her and other fellow artisans to market their products. She noted the SCTA's initiatives in the field of handicrafts, including organization of exhibitions as well as developing artisan skills through training courses. “Such events will help artisans interact with public face to face, which in turn increases their sales and revenue,” she added.
Another female artisan commended the SCTA for its efforts to promote handicrafts under the leadership of Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the commission. “I am doing embroidery works, I have customers from different parts of the Kingdom who regularly call and place order for specific products that I eventually design for them," she added.
Dr. Ali Al-Anbar, general supervisor of the National Program for Handicraft Development, stated that the goal of the event was to raise awareness on the Saudi cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible ones.
"This event, which was organized by the King Abdul Aziz Historical Center, aims to encourage and support the relevant authorities in the public and private sectors that are concerned with development and preservation of Saudi handicrafts," he added.