Weaving Hope Project... Syrian-Italian and International Meeting in Damascus to Develop the Textile Industry
Weaving Hope Project... Syrian-Italian and International Meeting in Damascus to Develop the Textile Industry
His Excellency the Italian Ambassador to Damascus, Stefano Ravagnan, and the Deputy Minister of Industry, Engineer Yassin Hourieh, chaired a meeting held at the Italian Embassy. The meeting saw the participation of the Damascus and Countryside Chamber of Industry, represented by the Chairman of its Board of Directors, Engineer Mohammad Ayman Al-Mawlawi, and Mr. Karim Al-Khaja, a member of the chamber's bureau.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Chairman of the Aleppo Chamber of Industry, Mr. Imad Taha, and Mr. Raafat Al-Shammaa, a board member of the Aleppo Chamber of Industry. Additionally, Dr. Riad Qubaissi, Director of the Vocational Training Center in Qaboun, attended alongside development partners from the European Union, the Aga Khan Foundation, and representatives from the ILO and UNIDO.
Engineer Yassin Hourieh emphasized the importance of this sector and the necessity of supporting it due to the significant employment opportunities it provides. His remarks came during the meeting, which was held to discuss ways to develop the spinning and weaving (textile) sector in Syria, the challenges it faces, and the solutions and proposals supporting it within the framework of the "Weaving Hope" project. The necessary means to develop this vital sector, which employs a large workforce, were thoroughly discussed.
The meeting focused on the need to mobilize the necessary funding to bridge the financial gap in the project's total budget, which is estimated at approximately 5 million euros. The Italian government contributed about 1.7 million euros of this amount, while the International Labour Organization contributed around 700,000 euros from its own resources.
Furthermore, the project discusses the sector's priorities, needs, labor training, and enhancing dialogue between government entities, chambers of industry, the Ministry of Education, vocational training institutions, and international partners. This is in addition to reviewing the results achieved by the project in the fields of skills development, industrial education, providing decent work, women's employment, and job opportunities, as well as defining the next steps to transform interest in the project into technical or financial contributions.
In his intervention, Mr. Ayman Al-Mawlawi pointed out the necessity for the training to include the necessary standards and requirements of the European Union. This, he noted, would positively impact the potential for Syrian products in this sector to enter and be exported to European countries
21/10/2026
