CAIRO, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- An annual exhibition has helped hundreds of Egyptian handicraft artisans market their products after months of recession caused by the coronavirus-related lockdown.

Dubbed "Turathna", which means "our heritage" in Arabic, the exhibition started on Oct. 10 and will run until Oct. 15. It is held at Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The event, which is organized by Egypt's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency, is also meant to revive traditional crafts and assist small-sized handicraft manufacturers by opening outlets to market their products.

The halls of the center have displayed thousands of artifacts and handmade products, including handmade kilim, furniture, woman accessories, copper products, glass products, embroideries, wood products, tableau, tents, seashell, lighting units, handmade carpets, ceramics, leather and kitchen ware.

"I'm selling well," Elham Sherif, an exhibitor who sells handmade woman accessories, told Xinhua. "I did not expect such a big turnout as many people are still fearing the spread of the coronavirus."

Sherif, who sells the products on her Facebook page, said her sales have dropped notably during the past few months as the government imposed tight anti-COVID-19 measures to curb the spread of virus.

The 45-year-old lady, who has been in the business for five years, added that the exhibition helped her sell many of the products she made recently, noting that she has applied online to join the exhibition.

"I hope that such events would be held more than once a year ... this would definitely push the economy of the country, not only ours," said Sherif, who was originally a civil engineer.

Not far away from Sherif's stand, Abeir Ehlaihel, a Lebanese woman living in Cairo, showcased her copper products that attracted dozens of visitors.

"My products are totally different from the ones people in Egypt are used to ... I use the same materials, but the designs are modern not traditional, which makes my items distinguished," the 46-year-old mother of two told Xinhua as she observed visitors' admiration of her works.

The lady said she only makes the designs, and a number of workshops turn her designs into breathtaking pieces of art.

"I mainly focus on making home decorations in addition to some kitchen ware such as tea trays and cups," Ehlaihel said.

Like Sherif, Ehlaihel depends on online sales. However, the lady believes that such exhibitions not only help her sell goods and meet new customers, but also introduce new designs and product ideas from other exhibitors.

"It is a great opportunity for artisans to share their ideas ... we learn from each other," Ehlaihel added as she placed some items on her exhibition stand.

For visitors, the exhibition is also a great chance where they can buy fantastic pieces of art at affordable prices.

"The exhibition is kind of a big museum ... you can see artifacts everywhere," Rania Sary, a Cairo-based Jordanian told Xinhua.

Sary, a frequent visitor to similar exhibitions, said she is a fan of all handmade products, mainly homeware.

"I'm mostly attracted to copper products and kitchen items ... I also buy handmade gowns," Sary said, pointing out that the prices of the goods are competitive.

Dina Reda, another visitor, spent long hours moving across the exhibition to buy clothes, accessories and some home decorations.

"This is the first time for me to visit the exhibition ... I'm really overwhelmed by the beauty of the art that is present everywhere," Reda said as she checked a small handmade wooden sculpture.

Reda noted that the idea of holding the exhibition is smart as it helps customers find all they need in one single place. "Such an event helps us save time, efforts and also money." Enditem

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