Al-Mrah – 11 July 2026: A recent report puts Syria’s Damask rose in the spotlight. In the village of Al-Mrah in the rural outskirts of Damascus, its cultivation is far more than gardening: the flower provides raw materials for fragrance products, dried teas, foods and handcrafted goods. At the same time, it represents knowledge passed down within families and the village community.
Harvesting usually begins during the flowering season in May. Families head to the fields early in the morning and pick the blossoms by hand. Later, the rosebuds are sorted and prepared for drying. Some are used for tea, while petals are stored for distillation. Manual work is a central part of the traditional production method.
The roses are turned into a range of goods sold locally: essential oils and fragrance essences are among them, as are rosewater, syrups, jams and pastries. The plant thus connects agricultural production with household processing and small-scale craftsmanship. For confectioneries and regional cuisine, rose products are valued ingredients because they give dishes a distinctive floral aroma.
The cultural practices surrounding the Damask rose in Al-Mrah were added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019. UNESCO refers to the knowledge of farmers, families and other residents of the locality. This heritage includes cultivation and harvesting as well as the production of oils, traditional preparations and food products.
An annual rose festival accompanies the season. Foods containing rose ingredients are presented there, and local musical traditions are maintained. The festival brings together people from surrounding villages and makes the plant’s importance in everyday life visible. The rose is therefore not only a raw material for goods, but also an occasion for communal work and cultural encounters.
For local producers, the economic value lies primarily in processing. Rather than selling only fresh blossoms, families can offer several products through drying, distillation and the production of shelf-stable foods. However, this value creation depends on preserving expertise, cultivation areas and artisanal methods over the long term.
When adding the practices to its list, UNESCO also pointed to the possible consequences of excessive commercialization. Maintaining a balance is therefore crucial: the Damask rose can strengthen income and regional identity without traditional methods being subordinated solely to the market. Al-Mrah demonstrates how closely agriculture, food craftsmanship and cultural heritage can be connected.
Sources
- Franceinfo
- UNESCO – Intangible Cultural Heritage