Youth wants to be the future of Syria
This year’s Brussels VI Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the Region” hosted by the EU, kicked off on Monday 9 May with the Day of Dialogue, a unique platform to enhance the dialogue among civil society from inside Syria, the region and diaspora.
“The international community's support to the Syrian civil society is essential”, said Nada Aswad, member of the Women’s Advisory Board of the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria (WAB). “After 11 years of war we are a mature civil society and the Brussels VI Conference is an opportunity to return our demands on the international community’s agenda as well as insufflate some hope to all those voices in need to be heard”.
The Conference is part of the EU’s conflict resolution toolbox, which is fully mobilised for the Syrian people and the vulnerable communities in Syria’s neighbouring countries. It is a yearly opportunity for all relevant actors to address the current situation in Syria, offer continued support to UN efforts for a comprehensive political solution and mobilise necessary financial support for Syria and neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees
As the Syrian crisis entered its 12th year, with thousands of Syrian kids who have only known war, one of the key questions of the Day of Dialogue focused on a simple yet central question: “What Syrian Youth want?”
The past 11 years have been extremely difficult for all Syrians, but youth has been particularly affected. While conflict has devastating effects on all generations, it sadly interferes with the youth’s plans at a very critical phase of their lives. Eleven years of making concrete plans for pursuing their education, starting a career, getting married, deepening their practices and hobbies, and overall preparing for adult life in a constant situation of crisis, conflict and often displacement.
Sadly, “Young people have been forced to put aside their adolescence to quickly enter adulthood and face great responsibilities in order to support their families,” said Elena Dikomitis, Policy Advisor on youth at the Norwegian Refugee Council.
“Job creation” was the answer chanted like a mantra by young Syrians when questioned about their main priority today. “But decent jobs”, they quickly added. As Syria has entered its twelfth year of war and suffering, the deterioration of the economic situation over the last years are further exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation inside Syria and the living conditions of Syrian refugees and their host communities in neighbouring countries. It is sadly unsurprising that food security has been also one of the mayor concerns during the debate. More than 12 million people inside Syria where already food insecure before the Russian aggression on Ukraine, which will affect food prices and availability even further.
To the calls to maintain international humanitarian aid, young people have added the need to launch long-term programs able to create educational, training and job opportunities, which will make Syrians in the future less dependent from the international aid.
Despite the darkness that the COVID-19 pandemic brought on top of all in Syria, Ruba Jaradat (ILO regional director for the Arab States) managed to bring some hope to the debate: “Training through digital media has proven to be an advantageous tool in Syria, and should be strengthened to train more Syrian women and men without any education.”
Syrian women, often invisible, have also occupied an important space in the Day of Dialogue. "Violence and emigration have emptied the country of men, leaving to women the heavy burden of earning a living, running the house and being the pillar of the family," said Luay Shabaneh, UNFPA regional director for Arab States. “We will have to make what is invisible visible”, he added concerning Syrian’s women suffering.
All throughout the dialogue and interventions the fate of the disappeared and the need for accountability resonated as two priorities. “Many Syrians suffer greatly from not knowing what happened to their beloved ones. We haven’t been successful enough and we need to do more. It is a priority”, highlighted during his intervention Carl Hallergard, Deputy Managing Director for the MENA region at the EEAS.
Likewise, the participants have also unanimously stressed the need to strengthen social cohesion. Himbervan Kose, member of the CSSR - a UN taskforce for Syrian civil society to negotiate peace for Syria - spoke about the fissures dividing Syrian youth and called for the need to support intergenerational dialogue beyond geographical and confessional belongings: “We have to move away from those spreading hate speech on social media, and we need to work together towards a Syria where our generation can assert its rights freely.”
Similarly, at the side event “Coffee talk with Syrian youth” hosted by the EU delegation to Syria in Beirut on 26 April, Anna Maria Ohan had stressed the need to ensure a safe return for those Syrians who are now studying, or working with NGOs outside Syria, in order to put their expertise and skills at the service of their fellow citizens.
Syrian civil society is not only striving to close the cracks that the war has created among Syrian youth, but its efforts go further with proposals to create an intergenerational dialogue. “The youngest Syrian generation has known nothing but war. They are lost and discouraged. We, my generation, should also guide them, support them”, reminded the panellist Hindrin Muhamad, Youth activist in women’s right and countering extremist discourse.
Despite the fatigue cumulated after more than a decade working for peace, the Syrian civil society have conveyed a message of determination. And so did the European Union.
“Our road is long and we have paid already a high price, but we must continue our effort with patience, because we are going to make the change”, concluded Aswad.
More information
Supporting the future of Syria and the region – Brussels VI Conference, 29-30 March 2021
Post-Brussels conference - Financial tracking report (September 2021)
Post-Brussels conference - Financial tracking report (March 2021)
Supporting the future of Syria and the region – Brussels V Conference, 29-30 March 2021
Supporting the future of Syria and the region – Brussels IV Conference, 22-30 June 2020
Supporting the future of Syria and the region – Brussels III Conference, 12-14 March 2019
Supporting the future of Syria and the region - Brussels II Conference, 24-25 April 2018
Supporting the future of Syria and the region - Brussels I Conference, 4-5 April 2017