Handicrafts in Saudi Schools: A Comprehensive Guide to Strengthening Identity
In an unprecedented strategic move aimed at strengthening national identity and connecting younger generations to their cultural roots, the Saudi Ministry of Culture announced the launch of the “Guide to Handicraft Activities.” This ambitious project represents a turning point in the educational system, integrating 11 authentic traditional crafts into extracurricular activities in schools, coinciding with the major preparations for the “Year of Handicrafts 2025” initiative.
Historical context: Heritage as a pillar of national identity
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia boasts a rich and ancient cultural heritage, where handicrafts have historically formed the backbone of the economic and social life of the Arabian Peninsula's inhabitants. These crafts were not merely hobbies, but rather a necessity for survival, reflecting the ingenuity of the Saudi people in harnessing the resources of their environment; whether through utilizing palm fronds in the oases, shaping rocks in the mountainous regions, or spinning wool in the desert. This educational initiative aims to revitalize this rich history, transforming it from museum artifacts into living skills practiced by students.
Guide details: 11 routes that simulate the geography of the Kingdom
The new guide is distinguished by its geographical and artistic comprehensiveness, designed to cover all regions of the Kingdom across 11 major craft routes, thus ensuring representation of Saudi Arabia's cultural diversity. These routes include:
- Architecture and Construction Arts: Teaching the basics of traditional mud and stone construction, techniques that characterized architecture in Najd and the southern region.
- Fine manufacturing industries: These include tanning and leather processing, pottery making, and metal hammering and shaping techniques.
- Sustainability of natural resources: Focus on palm-based crafts (wickerwork), and traditional carpentry work that was popular in coastal and agricultural areas.
- Aesthetic and decorative arts: These include fine embroidery skills, manuscript binding and gilding arts, traditional jewelry making, as well as weaving and Sadu weaving arts, which are internationally registered as intangible heritage.
Educational and economic dimensions of Vision 2030
This initiative transcends the immediate educational dimension, aligning with the core objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to diversify income sources and develop the cultural sector. From an educational perspective, the "Crafts Day" program enhances students' fine motor skills, cultivates values of patience and mastery, and stimulates creative thinking to blend tradition with modernity. Economically, instilling a love for handicrafts at a young age paves the way for a new generation of artisans and innovative entrepreneurs, contributing to the growth of the creative economy and supplying the market with globally competitive Saudi products. This, in turn, supports cultural tourism and solidifies the Kingdom's position as a global heritage destination.
