Residents of Syria's Idlib clung to ritual in place of gifts, new clothes and food on Wednesday, as the region continues to suffer from the fallout of a devastating earthquake and more than a decade of war.
Abu Muhammad, 40, from the city of Harem in the north of Idlib, took his children to the mosque to perform Eid prayers, then to a local cemetery where his father is buried. His children placed flowers on the grave together.
“This Eid is not like the previous one. The earthquake turned our lives upside down,” he told The National.
“After this year, my family's Eid was limited to Eid prayers and visiting graves. These two rituals are preserved by all segments of society, rich and poor, the displaced and the resident.”
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey in February killed more than 50,000 people and injured 100,000. Idlib in particular has struggled to recover, as aid to the rebel-held enclave has been slow to come through.
“I survived the earthquake, thank God, but I lost everything I owned now. I live in a rented house, and I was unable to prepare sweets or buy new clothes for the children,” says Abu Muhammad.
His neighbour, Mahmoud Al Ahmad, is suffering under similar strain. He lost his home in the earthquake, but survived with his family.
“Last year, we were from the middle-income class, and I was able to slaughter a sacrifice and buy new clothes for my children,” he says. “But this holiday, there is no reason for joy.
“My children were deprived of new clothes and Eid gifts … they hardly have food. We have lost everything”.
Sacrifices are the most obvious absence for Syrians this Eid.
The price of sheep has more than doubled. Sacrifices are now limited to the wealthy and some humanitarian organisations that are active in the region.
Muhannad Al Shammat used to make a sacrifice every year and distribute the meat to his neighbours.
“I was not able to buy the sacrifice for this year, because the prices are high, but I bought new clothes for the children and made sweets for them,” he says. “The joy of Eid is in the joy of my children.”
Some children have been lucky enough to secure Eidiyat, a small sum of cash to celebrate Eid Al Adha, this year.
The amounts provided to children range between 25 Turkish liras and may reach up to 100 liras – or about $1 to $3.80 – according to the budget of each family.
Omar Razzouk, 10, was given 125 Turkish liras by his father and uncles.
“This is enough money to go to the amusement park, play with swings and games,” he says excitedly.
Ahmed Maatouq, eight, has seen his Eidyah dwindle, but is happy to have received it nonetheless.
“Last year, the value of the gifts that I collected was 200 liras, but this holiday I only collected less than half of this amount,” he says.
But the decrease in disposable income and displacement caused by the colossal earthquake, which destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, mean that many communities' annual rituals are falling by the wayside.
In the Jenderes neighbourhood, women would traditionally gather together to make Eid sweets before the big day. Now, the smell of cooking sugar and the sound of traditional song is noticeably absent from the alleyways.
“I had to sell my wedding ring, which is the only memory I keep after the death of my husband, in order to make my orphan grandchildren happy after their father died in the earthquake disaster,” Nazik Tammo, 50, says.
“I bought them new clothes and made a small amount of sweets for them in my house.”
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Scorline
Iraq 1-0 UAE
Iraq Hussein 28’
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
THE CARD
2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
2.30pm: Handicap Dh 76,000 (D) 1,400m
3pm: Handicap Dh 64,000 (D) 1,200m
3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m
4pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (D) 1,000m
4.30pm: Handicap 64,000 (D) 1,950m
