The Committee

1. Takes note that the Syrian Arab Republic has nominated Craftsmanship of Aleppo Ghar soap (No. 02132) for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:

The crafting of Aleppo ghar soap in the Syrian Arab Republic is based on traditional knowledge and skills that combine natural, locally produced olive oil (metraf) and laurel oil (ghar). In autumn, families pick the wild laurel berries from surrounding forests and boil them in water until they split. When the oil rises to the surface, it is skimmed off. The soap production begins in winter. Natural lye, metraf and ghar are combined and cooked. The mixture is poured on the floors of traditional soap factories and allowed to cool. Craftsmen then don large wooden shoes to cut the giant slab into cubes, using their body weight and a rake. Each cube is hand-stamped with the family name in an expression of family legacy and identity. The stamped soap cubes are stacked into cylindrical towers or pyramids to facilitate airflow and are stored to dry for six to nine months. Aleppo craftsmanship is transmitted informally within families, with children helping to collect olives and berries. Girls observe their mothers extracting the oil, and children learn soap-making from their fathers. The collaborative production process promotes community and family unity and intergenerational dialogue.

2. Considers that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:

R.1:   Aleppo craftsmanship is transmitted informally within families, with children helping to collect olives and berries. Girls observe their mothers extracting the oil, and children learn soap-making from their fathers. The knowledge and skills of the element is transmitted within families through the direct mentoring between master and pupil. The collaborative production process promotes community and family unity and intergenerational dialogue. In addition, the element provides communities with a healthy, affordable and accessible product to maintain hygiene.

R.2:   The element contributes to inclusive economic development by providing a source of income for the communities, especially in rural areas. Responsible consumption and production are at the core of the traditional practices, supporting the sustainability of the communities concerned. The element also connects mountain villagers with city craftsmen, thus promoting peace and solidarity.

R.3:   The file describes various safeguarding measures such as the preservation of traditional cultural spaces, including the restoration of two masaben (traditional soap factories) by heritage restoration experts, with funding and support from local NGOs. Other measures include: (a) setting up collective property rights to safeguard the identity and intellectual property of practitioners; (b) passing a presidential decree to issue tax exemptions and relief; (c) supporting transmission of the element through a collaboration between the Ministry of Education, the Directorate of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the Aleppo Ghar Soap Committee; and (d) organizing soap-making workshops under the supervision of practitioners within the masaben. The role of the community in developing the safeguarding measures is explained but could have been more detailed.

R.4:   Local organizations supported the nomination of the element. Practitioners, NGOs and community representatives attended a first meeting in the Seif Al-Dawla Community Centre to discuss the nomination process and their means of participation. A total of forty-five in-person gatherings and workshops were held in various cities, and the testimonies, stories, aspirations and concerns of the widest possible range of community members and NGOs were used in preparing the nomination file. The file describes the processes undertaken following the earthquake on 6 February 2023. Meetings between practitioners and experts took place to assess the damage and define restoration plans. The process eventually proceeded, as it was decided that the element’s nomination would have a positive impact on the citizens of Aleppo. The video explains the involvement of the communities in the nomination process in detail.

R.5:   The element was added to the National Inventory for Syrian Intangible Cultural Heritage in March 2017. The inventory is maintained by the Ministry of Culture and is updated biennially, with the full participation of the communities concerned. Every two years, a network of the Ministry’s directorates in each governorate, along with intangible cultural heritage experts, community volunteers and NGOs, are mobilized to update the inventory.

3. Decides to inscribe Craftsmanship of Aleppo Ghar soap on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;
4. Commends the State Party on the restoration efforts made in relation to the element following emergency situations;
5. Further commends the State Party for promoting natural, environmentally friendly and sustainable management practices of land and resource use.