Today a group of volunteers from the Excellence Center paid a visit to a local glass and ceramics factory and the Hirbawi textiles plant where in Hebron. Aisha from the United States, Iram and Arshad from Australia and Melanie from Canada along with a visitor from Germany enjoyed the visit to the small businesses and seeing firsthand how these artisanal products are produced.
At Hebron Glass the volunteers observed the hypnotic art of glassblowing and the process to the beautiful finished products that the shop offers. All of the glass and ceramic products are produced and finished on-site so that a short visit afforded an overview of the entire process. Melanie was excited to discover that these products can even be found at a local international market in Canada that she knows well.
Hirbawi is the primary producer of the iconic Palestinian Kufiyas. The automated looms produced a huge racket while pumping out the easily recognizable scarves not only in the familiar white and black, but in a variety of beautiful colours and designs. All of the volunteers greatly enjoyed the visit, especially the visitor from Germany, whose first day in Hebron it was. “It is great to visit local businesses and buy souvenirs from local artisans,” he commented, “it makes the gifts so much more personal.”
