UK supports Innovation Under Siege in Gaza

The exhibition was aimed at promoting local products, which are still manufactured despite the current strict siege imposed on the Gaza Strip. More than 300 Palestinians from different parts of the Gaza Strip attended the ceremony and 1600 people visited the exhibition on the first day.

On display at the exhibition were a variety of innovative products which demonstrate the resillience and creativity of people in Gaza. Many products used locally available raw materials or recycled materials, such as the glass products made out of broken window glass. One manufacturer had used steel bars recovered from destroyed houses to make metal bed frames.

Tahseen al - Masri, 40 year-old, owner of a metal workshop in Khan Youins City, said "Our workshop was established in 1997. Due to the shortages of raw materials which we used to import from Israel, the workshop had been closed. We had to look for alternative sources because 18 people in my family rely on this business. We've found a way to re-use and recycle metal and today we are presenting various metal handcrafts with an artistic touch, including furniture, clothes hangers and home accessories."

Mohammed Rafaty, 27 year-old, owner of a ceramic workshop in Gaza City said, " The workshop has been working for decades. Recently, we have started to create new products, integrating traditional design and modern techniques. We are here to show our new products to people and to find new channels of distribution."

Amer Hamed, Director of the Palestinian Federation of Industries explains "The three - day exhibition is the first of its kind in Gaza for four years. The closure of all commercial crossings in mid-2007 has led to heavy economic losses across the manufacturing and industrial sectors, which has brought the economy to its knees. The toll on the ordiniarly lives of Gazans has been enormous, and its in addition to the large-scale military operation which brought destruction to homes, public institutions, infrastructure, and industrial establishments.'

The exhibition is part of project known as the Fund for New Market Development (FNMD) which is a 3-year grant scheme funded by UKAID with backing from the World Bank. The project aims to support the Palestinian economy by helping Palestinian companies enter new markets and develop new products – more information can be found at www.fnmd.ps. Many companies already report success stories thanks to FNMD support – 8 companies in the West Bank have started to export to new international markets in the Arab region as well as in Asia, Europe and Africa. Several companies are working hard to improve their existing products and are pursuing local and international quality certificates. 15 companies are developing new, innovative goods and services