Brussels VI Conference "Supporting the future of Syria and the region"

OPENING AND MORNING PLENARY SESSION

Opening Address by the Conference Chair: Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission

Opening addresses by countries hosting the largest numbers of Syrian refugees in the region

Restitution by Civil Society 

Keynote speaker:  Mr Geir Pedersen UN Special Envoy for Syria

Statements and announcements of pledges by participating delegations

FAMILY PHOTO

PRESS CONFERENCE

LUNCH BREAK

AFTERNOON PLENARY SESSION (Part I)

Opening speech by the Chair: Mr. Oliver Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

Keynote speakers: 
-    Mr Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees 
-    Mr Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator
Statements and announcements of pledges by participating delegations

AFTERNOON PLENARY SESSION (Part II)

Opening speech by the Chair: Mr. Michael Koehler, acting Director General, DG ECHO

Keynote speaker: Mr Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

Statements and announcements of pledges by participating delegations

BREAK

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Final pledge announcement by Mr Oliver Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

08:00-09:00

Registration and coffee

09:00-09:30

1. Welcome remarks

Commissioner Janez LENARČIČ, Commissioner for Crisis Management (video message)

DG NEAR Maciej POPOWSKI, Director General ad interim

EEAS Helena KONIG, Deputy Secretary General

DG ECHO Andreas PAPACONSTANTINOU, Director for Neighbourhood and Middle East

2. Feedback from country-led consultation with civil society in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan

Jordan: Ahmad AWAD, Founder and Director of the Phenix Center for Economic and Informatics Studies in Jordan

Lebanon: Elias SADKNI, Co-founder of House of Peace

Syria: Nada ASWAD, Member of the Women Advisory Board of the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria (WAB) and a facilitator in civil society virtual space of the EU

09:30-11:00

First panel session – Giving space to Syrian voices

The Syrian crisis is in its 11th year and has led to the displacement of more than 12 million Syrians. The needs of the Syrian people are since long passed the initial stage of short-term needs, and in the longer perspective, only the Syrians themselves know what they need and want for the future. Therefore, the voices of Syrian people inside Syria and abroad must be amplified and listened to, allowing them to advocate for their rights, needs and interests. In Syria and abroad, Syrians are already gathered in various forms of organisations. However, groups often lack capacity, resources or sufficient information to engage with decision-makers. Public authorities in host countries as well as donors also find obstacles to engage genuinely with representatives of Syrian people. In this context, the panel will address the need to strengthen the voices of Syrian people to articulate their interests and needs in view of the decreasing attention to the Syrian crisis, and recognising the shrinking space for the civil society in general and inside Syria in particular. It aims at identifying ways to strengthen the voices of Syrian people inside Syria, in neighbouring countries and in the EU, based on good examples of how Syrians have come together in various forms over the last ten years. The panel will be fed by input from civil society through an online survey that was launched end of March 2022. The event will also feature the results of recent quantitative and qualitative surveys and consultations with Syrian refugees in the region. Themes for discussion could include: What are the current mechanisms that are facilitating dialogue between Syrians and authorities? What are the needs, in terms of structuration and capacity-building, of Syrian CSOs, including to access aid coordination systems in the region? To what extent can donors support initiatives aiming at structuring Syrian voices at various level? What are the main obstacles for Syrians raising their voices and contributing to decision-making? How can we better integrate refugee voices, in particular women and girls, in planning of the response?

Chair: DG NEAR Maciej POPOWSKI, Director General ad interim

Moderator: Ms Karen COLEMAN

Panellists:

• Gillian TRIGGS, UNHCR, Assistant Secretary-General and Assistant High Commissioner for Protection

• Dr Hector HAJJAR, Minister of Social Affairs, Lebanon
• Rola ROUKBI, Women Now for Development, Country Director Lebanon
• Mohannad ALISSA, Member of the EU Regional Network for Alumni and Young Professionals
• Wasim ALHAJ, Humanitarian and Social Justice Activist
• Sawsan ABOU ZAINEDIN, Architect and Urban Development Planner, Co-coordinator of the Syria Resource Group (SRG)

Rapporteurs:

• Dr Maya ALRAHABI, Gender Activist
• Tulin Haji MOHAMAD, Researcher and Director of Tulia Domna Research Center

• Key note speech by chair
• Presentation by panellists
• Q&A
• Wrap-up by rapporteur
• Closing by chair

11:00-11:30

Coffee Break

11:30-13:00

Second panel – What Syrian Youth want! Political, social and economic empowerment of Syrian youth in Syria and in diaspora countries

To follow the theme of providing and holding space for voices from Syria and its people, the panel on political, social and economic empowerment of youth in Syria and in diaspora countries will intent to shine light on the challenges as well as hopes and dreams of the Syrian youth in both Syria and in diaspora countries, attempting to make their voices heard while supporting their aspirations for a better future. With 2022 announced as the European Year of Youth, and with a generation of young Syrians who have grown up, live or settled abroad, it is evident that the conversation with civil society and youth organisations needs to be increasingly addressing their vision for peace in Syria on top of the daily challenges they come to face at such young age. The Syrian youth is already engaged politically either as members of civil society organisations, student unions or representatives of various political bodies. Their needs and visions for peace in Syria has so far received little attention it deserves. For this reason, and in line with the European Year of the Youth and the priorities set for the implementation of the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda, the invited young Syrian panellists will debate the future of their country, while representing the voices of young people in Syria and in diaspora countries facing numerous challenges that are fundamental to their wellbeing and ability to participate in the debate on a daily basis, such as the lack of access to education or vocational training, rampant unemployment, social exclusion, discrimination or limited support of the state, among others. As such, the panel will be looking at the potential mechanisms for the participation of Syrian youth in the political process, building on the main relevant European youth goals and the key Youth, Peace and Security Agenda and UNSCR 2250 five key pillars.

Chair: EEAS Carl HALLERGARD, Deputy Managing Director MENA.DMD

Moderator: Karen COLEMAN

Panellists:

• Ruba JARADAT, ILO, Regional Director for the Arab States
• Dr Luay SHABANEH, UNFPA, Regional Director, Arab States region
• Hindrin MUHAMAD, Youth activist in women's right and countering extremism (Virtually)
• Himbervan KOSE, Member of CSSR (UN taskforce for Syrian civil society to negotiate peace for Syria)
• Lujain HAMZEH, Founder of the Out of the Box initiative (Virtually)
• Elena DIKOMITIS, Advocacy Manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Lebanon
   

Rapporteurs: Dana ABDEEN, Member of civil society support room

• Key note speech by chair
• Presentation by panellists
• Q&A
• Wrap-up by rapporteurs
• Closing by chair

13:00-14:30

Lunch break

14:30-16:00

Third thematic panel session – Food assistance and Food security

12 million people are facing acute food insecurity, and 1.9 million people are at risk of sliding into food insecurity. The economic crisis continues to affect civilians across the country. With more than 60% of the population inside Syria relying on food assistance to cover their basic needs, and against the background of increased cost of basic commodities, inflation and currency depreciation, increasing price of bread, energy and water scarcity, heavy reliance on external exports, the panel will seek to bring to the fore the issue of food assistance and food security inside Syria and the wider region. The region relies heavily on wheat imports, making it particularly vulnerable to soaring wheat prices. The discussion will cut across various sectors and topics, including WASH, water crisis and scarcity, climate change adaptation, support to livelihoods, resilience and early recovery. The issue is particularly topical this year and of relevance to the wider MENA region, against a complex geo-political background directly impacting the situation on the ground and capacities to respond (UNSC Cross-Border Resolution, situation in Ukraine). Within that context, the panel will discuss means to ensure continuity of services and delivery to those most affected? How to ensure support to contingency planning for responders? How to mitigate external factors affecting food security in Syria and the region? How to build more resilient communities and ensure proper linkages between food assistance, livelihood support and early recovery?

Chair : Mr. Michael KOEHLER, DG ECHO acting Director General

Moderator: Karen COLEMAN

Panellists:

• Stéphane ROMATET, Directeur du Centre de crise et de soutien, France
• Corinne FLEISCHER, World Food Programme, Regional Director
• Kieren BARNES, Mercy Corps, Syria Director
• Adele KHODR, UNICEF, Regional Director
• Erik van OMMERING, CARITAS Austria, Senior Programme Manager for the Middle East

Rapporteur: Alexandra SAIEH, Norwegian Refugee Council, Advocacy Advisor

• Key note speech by chair
• Presentation by panellists
• Q&A
• Wrap-up by rapporteur
• Closing by chair