SYRIA: Box containing one tonne of Arabic sweets unveiled at Candy Fair in Damascus

Record ID: 279588

  • Title: SYRIA: Box containing one tonne of Arabic sweets unveiled at Candy Fair in Damascus
  • Date: 10th April 2009
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (APRIL 7, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SWEETS FAIR (3 SHOTS) ONE TONNE BOX OF SWEETS IS UNVEILED VARIOUS OF ONE TONNE BOX OF SWEETS/PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS ON THEIR MOBILE PHONES (5 SHOTS) GOUTA, SYRIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IMAD SARAYRI, HEAD OF AL-SARAYRI INTERNATIONAL COMPANY, SAYING: "It is not just a box of sweets, this is an art-
  • Embargoed: 25th April 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAD63AXPXY1RAM4K6QJC2IJHRPT
  • Story Text: A gigantic box containing one tonne of traditional Arab sweets is unveiled at the first Candy Fair held in Syria and is set to be donated to the Gaza Strip.
    The international exhibition for sweets and chocolates opened in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Tuesday (April 7).
    During the fair, a box containing one tonne of arabic sweets was unveiled, a box that is expected to enter the Guinness book of world records for being the biggest box of sweets to be created.
    More than 35 Syrian sweets companies took part in producing the food for the event, taking advantage of the opportunity to show off their products to local and western visitors during the three-day fair.
    The one tonne box of sweets included sweets arranged to show the Syrian and Palestinian flags, as well as famous sites in Damascus like the Ummayyad Mosque in it's design. It is described as a work of art by Imad Sarayri, head of al-Sarayri International Company that was responsible for the organisation of the exhibition.
    "It is not just a box of sweets, this is an art-form, a piece of art, a piece of art from Damascus drawn with sweets. So it is not just a box of sweets," said Sarayri.
    "This is a gift to Gaza to show that we haven't forgotten Gaza and the children of Gaza. We were very affected by what we saw happen in Gaza in the last few months and this has lead us to think of them in everything we do," he continued.
    An Israeli military offensive against the Gaza Strip during the turn of the year left hundreds of civilians dead and much of the impoverished enclave lying in rubble. Israel said it was forced to act by force to stop rocket attacks from Palestinian militants based in the Hamas-controlled territory.
    Footage of civilian victims, especially children, angered many in the world, and particularly people from Arab countries.
    The making of the one tonne box of sweets; preparation as well as artistic layout, took two months and a budget of 40,000 U.S. Dollars.
    Syrian sweets are renowned world-wide for their rich and tasty quality, made with large quantities of butter, syrup, as well as having Pistachio nuts as a staple to most recipes.
    Samer al-Qasseer, owner of al-Sultan sweets factory is proud of Syria's international reputation for high quality arabic sweets and is pleased that his company contributes in some way to such a good name in the sweets business.
    "We are famous on an international level, the most famous country in the world is Syria for these sweets. These are the same sweets we make here, to the same quality and standard," al-Qasseer said.
    More than 50 workers participated in the making of the 22m length and
    2m wide box of sweets, soon to be on it's way to the children of Gaza to enjoy.
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