Aleppo – Afrin | Steps Syria for Community Development Foundation
Afrin, April 23, 2025 — As part of its diligent efforts to promote civil peace and social cohesion, the Steps Syria for Community Development Foundation organized a dialogue seminar titled “Reconstruction and its Role in Community Reconciliation in the Afrin Region.” A diverse group of civil society activists, including lawyers, academics, and media professionals, gathered at the Kabso Training Complex hall for a four-hour discussion that extended to core issues in Syria’s present and future.
Background and Objective:
Given the complex social nature of the Afrin region, which hosts residents from diverse ethnic and regional backgrounds, including both residents and displaced persons, this seminar aimed to highlight the reciprocal relationship between reconstruction projects and community reconciliation efforts. It also sought to promote the concept of civil peace, identify the challenges hindering its realization on the ground, and propose applicable solutions from within the community.
Interactive Sessions and Local Recommendations:
The seminar featured interactive sessions and group activities that allowed participants to exchange experiences and insights, creating an atmosphere of familiarity and openness among attendees from diverse cultural and regional backgrounds. The discussions concluded with a set of recommendations, most notably:
- Achieving transitional justice and redressing damages.
- Enacting deterrent laws against hate speech and discrimination.
- Empowering women and contributing to shaping youth integration policies.
- Supporting education to nurture generations who believe in citizenship and equality.
- Enhancing the role of media that supports civil peace and national reconciliation.
- Generalizing these seminars in various Syrian regions to promote comprehensive national dialogue.
Quotes from the Ground:
“I am displaced from Ghouta, and I cannot return to my home due to the destruction… We need reconstruction as a prerequisite for return and cohesion,” expressed one participant, while another added:
“Despite the bitterness of displacement, the interaction among community components after displacement led to important cultural exchange that could be the first building block in building a shared homeland.”
At the end of the seminar, attendees agreed that restoring rights and redressing damages are the foundation of stability and civil peace, and that any reconstruction process must go beyond infrastructure to build people and enhance their sense of belonging and justice.
Participants affirmed the importance of such dialogue initiatives in raising political and social awareness, and revealed the profound need to restore trust among members of Syrian society. The discussions showed that Syrian diversity, which had been marginalized or exploited for years, can be a source of strength if utilized within the framework of justice and citizenship.
Steps for Community Development Foundation: Towards a Cohesive and Secure Syria
Participants emphasized that reconstruction extends beyond infrastructure to include building people and enhancing their sense of belonging and justice. “Steps Syria” affirms its commitment to building a cohesive and secure Syria based on the values of civil peace and citizenship.
Watch the video: https://www.facebook.com/Soria.plus/videos/720096710588673
