Damascus International Fair

First held in September 1954 and running for a full month, the Damascus International Fair holds the distinction of being the oldest trade fair in the Middle East. That first edition drew over one million visitors and 26 participating countries — numbers that reflected the fair's original ambition to serve as, in its own words, 'the Syrian economy's window to the world.'

The fair was suspended in 2012 due to the Syrian Civil War, returning in 2017 for its 59th iteration at a newly built fairground spanning 1.2 million square metres, one of the largest of its kind anywhere. Beyond its role as a commercial and industrial showcase, the fair has always carried a strong cultural dimension: rows of booths sell local souvenirs, traditional clothing and handicrafts, while street food stalls and live performances of dabke, the traditional Levantine folk dance, run throughout.

With Syria's recent political changes, the 2026 edition is expected to mark a genuine new chapter for the fair, as international participants return to Damascus after years of relative isolation — positioning the event once again as a meeting point between Syria and the wider world.