Minister of Culture Mohammad Yassin Saleh confirmed during his speech at the launching conference of the NASTEX 2026 textile exhibition in Damascus, held under the patronage of the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Ahmad Al-Shar’a, that the textile industry is not merely an economic sector, but one of the most important carriers of Syrian identity throughout history.
This came in the presence of ministers, officials, and a distinguished audience of industrialists, designers, craftsmen, and cultural figures.
Reviving the Textile Industry, Reviving a Nation’s Memory
The Minister of Culture began his speech by emphasizing that Syrian textiles represent a collective memory extending from hand-spinning in Hauran, to Damascene brocade that decorated royal palaces, and to Aleppine fabrics. Minister Mohammad Yassin Saleh affirmed the connection between the textile sector and identity, saying:
“When we revive the textile industry, we are not merely recreating fabric; we are recreating a nation’s memory and its traditions, and restoring the aesthetics that the previous regime tried to erase in every possible way.”
He considered textiles a carrier of identity, just like language and poetry, stressing the importance of protecting this national and developmental sector, stating:
“When we protect this industry, we protect the Syrian visual memory, we protect the traditional crafts that teach patience and beauty, we protect the intangible heritage that forms part of our national identity, and we also protect Syria’s image before the world as a country of creativity and craftsmanship.”
Challenges Are Not Fate; The Role of the Ministry of Culture in Overcoming Them
Minister Mohammad Yassin Saleh affirmed the presence of many challenges, from rising prices to electricity issues, infrastructure problems, and the drain of skilled professionals abroad, refusing to consider them a matter of fate. Rather, he described them as challenges to be addressed collectively within a national vision for economic and cultural recovery.
He also affirmed that the Ministry of Culture—based on its role as a guardian of identity—works in partnership with relevant ministries to document traditional Syrian textiles as part of the national intangible heritage, through:
- Working on launching craft houses in Damascus, Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, and other governorates to train craftsmen and fashion makers.
- Working on reviving brocade and damask.
- Supporting creative industries and linking them with modernity.
- Producing major national brands that compete with global ones, so textile becomes a carrier of culture, not merely a product.
- Opening partnerships with the private sector to develop small and medium-sized factories.
- Organizing an annual textile festival showcasing products from cities and encouraging young designers.
- A business incubator for crafts and industrial work.
- Partnerships with universities and institutes.
- International exhibitions for youth to showcase their products.
He set a national strategic goal:
“Transforming the Syrian youth from a consumer of identity into a producer of it, and from a spectator of heritage into a maker of their own future.”
Register now to attend NASTEX 2026, whether as a visitor eager to explore the latest innovations in the textile sector or as an exhibitor seeking investment opportunities and long-term partnerships.
Special Thanks, and a Distinguished Invitation to NASTEX
Finally, the Minister of Culture expressed his gratitude for the invitation to the event and thanked Mr. Fadi AlAhmad (Almheimed), founder of NASTEX 2026, praising the event’s organization, its visual and auditory identity, and the “Sham Al-Salam” song launched during the conference under the patronage of NASTEX.
Read the full comprehensive report on the NAS Techs 2026 launch conference in Damascus.
The Minister also officially announced the date of the Damascus International Book Fair on February 5, under the patronage of the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Ahmad Al-Shar’a, inviting NASTEX to participate with a dedicated pavilion within the exhibition, based on the fact that textile is part of Syria’s cultural identity.