The Diarna Fair, Diarna is literal for ‘Our Homes’, which sells goods produced by Egyptian families, and which ran for a week that ended 2 May on the beach promenade in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, received some 10,000 visitors who paid EGP100,000 for the innovative, mostly handmade Egyptian designs. The goods most in demand were handmade rugs and kilim, artefacts made of seashells, as well as leather and brass products. There was also a pavilion that sold traditional Ramadan goods and foods; Ramadan is the Muslim month of fasting, which started today 6 May. There were the traditional Ramadan lanterns, hibiscus, nuts, and dried fruit.
Diarna fair, which spread over 600 square metres, was opened by Egypt’s Social Solidarity Minister Ghada Wali, and Red Sea Governor, Ahmad Abdullah. It boasted
23 pavilions the products of 42 exhibitors from Cairo, Aswan, Qena, Sohag, the Red Sea, and the New Valley. Each region displayed the traditional products for which it is famous: woodwork from Naqada, Qena; pottery from Garagos, and fabrics and rugs from Akhmim in Sohag; herbs and olive oil from the New Valley; as well as paintings on fabric, and brass and silverware from Cairo.
A week earlier, Dr Wali had opened together with Amr Nassar, Minister of Trade and Industry, a handcraft exhibition in Cairo, held on the sideline of the eighth Egypt Corporate Social Responsibility Forum.
The exhibition was organised by the Bank of Alexandria under its initiative of ++Ibdae min Masr++ (Innovation from Egypt). In 2018, the bank had signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Ministry of Social Solidarity, according to which the bank pledged to support creativity and traditional handicrafts in Egypt. ++Ibdae min Masr++ aims at promoting partnerships and collaboration between institutions, NGOs, governmental entities as well as individuals. It contributes and pursues sustainable development by creating opportunities for economically marginalised communities, promoting women’s economic empowerment, youth employability, fair trading practices, capacity building and vocational training and heritage preservation.
The exhibition displayed the works of 18 craftsmen supported by the Bank of Alexandria; also works made by refugees from Sudan, Ethiopia and Syria.
Watani International
6 May 2019