RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has declared the year 2025 as the ‘Year of Handicrafts’ to honour the cultural legacy and artisans.
The handicrafts have been an integral part of Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage, representing a rich legacy passed down through generations.
These traditional crafts, shaped by the creativity and skill of Saudi artisans both men and women, embody the nation’s ingenuity and resilience while showcasing its diverse cultural identity.
The Saudi Ministry of Culture has planned to organise an array of events, exhibitions, educational programs and competitions under the banner of ‘Year of Handicrafts,’ throughout 2025, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
These activities aim to highlight the cultural and historical significance of handicrafts while supporting their importance in modern life.
Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan said: “Saudi handicrafts reflect the creativity of Saudi society through weaving, handmade artifacts, and artistic innovations passed down through generations.”
The initiative seeks to honour traditional artists and encourage their continued practice and preservation. “Among these are pottery, traditional clothing, ceramic utensils, leatherwork, copperwork, tailoring, dyeing, blacksmithing, gold and jewellery crafting, and other handmade creations by Saudi artisans,” he said.
The Ministry of Culture also aims to enhance Saudi handicrafts locally and globally, empowering artisans and improving their contribution to the economy. This will be achieved through events organised with partners to highlight the cultural, historical, and economic importance of handicrafts.
Through collaborations between the public and private sectors, the ‘Year of Handicrafts’ will encourage sustainable practices, drive innovation, and enhance cultural exchange.
Women play a pivotal role in preserving these traditional arts in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region.
Most notable are, Sadu, tent and textile making, and embroidered handicrafts, some of which may take 10 continuous days to make. With these handicrafts, women record a remarkable presence at national events and festivals, in the region and beyond, the SPA reported.
The traditional market in Arar, which has been operating for over a decade, provides significant support to many elderly craftswomen and their granddaughters, offering them dedicated spaces to showcase their products and handicrafts. Along with “Al Khozama Hall,” the market has become a key heritage destination, offering families special courses on buying and selling, saving money, and e-marketing.
Several craftswomen told the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that they inherited their crafts from their mothers and passed them on to their granddaughters, especially since marketing these products to many people in the region also opens wide economic windows.
Meanwhile, the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts in Riyadh will also launch the Wrth Community initiative on Saturday, marking the beginning of its year-long celebration of the ‘Year of Handicrafts.’
The “Wrth Community” includes a variety of fields, including education, handicrafts, and entrepreneurship, in addition to dialogue sessions; aiming to exchange experiences and develop skills in an environment that stimulates creativity and innovation.
The event will feature a series of meetings and dialogues with leading figures in the field, as well as educational workshops. The initiative seeks to revitalise and modernise traditional handicrafts by incorporating contemporary design and technologies, fostering collaboration among institutions and the local community.
The initiative will also help individuals to use these arts in innovative ways through specialised training, the SPA reported.
