Damascus | Steps Syria for Community Development Foundation
Damascus, June 23-24, 2025 – As part of its efforts to enhance the capacity of local communities to manage conflicts and build peace, the Steps for Community Development Foundation organized an intensive training titled “Mediation and Community Conflict Resolution” at its hall in Damascus. The training targeted 12 participants from local reconciliation committees in Damascus and its countryside, aiming to empower them to resolve disputes fairly and peacefully.
Building Capabilities to Address Post-Liberation Challenges
This training comes in response to the increasing need for effective mechanisms for conflict resolution in local communities, especially amidst the rebuilding of official judicial institutions after liberation. The training was delivered by Dr. Mustafa Al-Sayed Issa, an expert with extensive experience in local and international training.
The training modules included:
- Concepts of conflict, violence, and peace.
- Principles of constructive conflict resolution.
- Conflict analysis skills (e.g., the Iceberg and Onion models).
- Effective communication and listening techniques.
- Mediation as a key tool for resolving community conflicts.
- Negotiation strategies and types of mediation (reconciliation and informal mediation).
The training was characterized by an interactive methodology, including short lectures, group exercises, and practical activities, which helped participants connect theoretical concepts with their practical reality.
Voices from Participants: Hope for a Better Future
Participants expressed their deep gratitude to the “Steps Syria for Community Development Foundation,” affirming that the training “addressed our real needs as local community workers” and “came exactly at the right time… we are in dire need of such skills to be able to intervene positively within our communities.” A participant from a tribal background also highlighted the importance of integrating traditional approaches with modern mediation methods.
The Steps Syria Foundation reaffirms its commitment to continuing to support local communities in Syria, believing that empowering individuals with conflict resolution and mediation skills is the cornerstone of building sustainable civil peace and a cohesive society in the new Syria.
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