Dec 12, 2024 12 min read Internationalism

Syria

The fall of the Assad regime is a turning point, but rebuilding — both personally and nationally — will take time. For Syrian refugees, this means navigating the complexities of the past while looking toward a brighter future. For everyone else, it means standing by their side as allies and friends.

Photo credit: The White Helmets (https://whitehelmets.org/)

by Emma Calcutt

The fall of the Assad regime marks the end of a dark era for Syria, offering a long-awaited moment of hope and possibility for its people. For Syrian refugees around the world, including those who now call our community home, this is a time for cautious celebration.

It is a pivotal moment not only for Syria but also for the global communities that have embraced Syrians in their most challenging times.

As neighbours, friends, and fellow community members, we have a profound role to play in this chapter.

Beyond providing practical support, we have the opportunity to center the joy and resilience of Syrian refugees, amplifying their stories and dreams while fostering an environment of hope and solidarity.

Adel's story

“My name is Adel from Syria.

“We lived in Lebanon for 6 years then moved to the UK in 2019. I started working to learn the language and integrate into society. The people here are very friendly and helped me in many things I could not do.

“I live in a beautiful and quiet city and I have many friends.

We have been waiting so long for Syria to be liberated from the cruel tyrannical ruling regime that killed many innocent children and destroyed homes but after the liberation of Syria now we are happy and all countries have shared this joy.

“I miss my relatives and family and I hope to see them when the situation in the country stabilizes.

“I am writing this to thank the British people for helping us they gave us the tenderness we lost in the war and I thank my friend Emma who stood in solidarity with us.

“Syria is my motherland but Britain is my second mother thank you all — Adel”

A time for celebration and reflection

THE COLLAPSE OF ASSAD'S REGIME signifies a long-overdue victory for freedom, yet it comes with the weight of the immense suffering endured by the Syrian people.

For many refugees, this is a bittersweet milestone—an end to tyranny, but a reminder of the homes, loved ones, friends and futures left behind.

In this moment, it is crucial to create opportunities for joy. Joy is not a luxury but an essential part of healing and moving forward. For the Syrian families in our midst, celebrating their culture, achievements, and resilience can be a powerful way to acknowledge their journey and affirm their place in our community.

This can take the form of cultural festivals, storytelling events, or opportunities to share Syrian art, music, and cuisine. These moments of celebration aren’t just for Syrians—they’re for all of us, offering a chance to connect across cultures, learn from one another, and build a sense of unity.

Rami's story

“My name is Rami.

I feel like we have been killed so many times: first we were shot, then we were imprisoned, then we were silenced and now we are being ignored.

When will we be allowed to tell our own story?

“We Toppled Assad! Syria is Free!
“I never thought I would live long enough to say these words.

“The Terrorist-at-Large Bashar al-Assad and his father, dictator Hafez al-Assad stepped on our necks for 54 years — more than half a century, and only now we are free.

“I break into wailing and tears every now and then since, thinking of my friends killed under torture — some for a simple Facebook post, others for having a protest video on their phone.

“I think of the million brave Syrians who were killed before they could see this impossible dream come true — the fall of the Assad regime

“No matter what comes next, there is nothing that can be worse than Assad. Nothing could compare to the horrors the world saw for the first time from Sednaya and the other human slaughterhouses run by his regime.

“The Genocide in Syria was ignored for 14 years, maybe now, just maybe, the world will mean it when they say Never Again.

“I don’t trust the Islamists, but I trust my great Syrian People. The strength of their spirit is unmatched.

For the first time, I am proud to be Syrian. For the first time, I feel like I am breathing the air of freedom, like I have been born anew — a human in this world, with human rights.

Andrea Parrot once said: “Each civilised person in the world should admit that he has two home countries: the one he was born in, and Syria.”

“That quote has never been truer than it is in this single moment.

“The fall of Assad is more than the liberation of a nation; it's the start of something far greater. The humanitarian shock from this genocide and the lives of 17 million Syrian refugees will echo for generations.

“People 200 years from now will teach their children about this moment as the spark that ignited a new chapter in humanity's story — a chapter written in hope, resilience and freedom."

Rami will be hosting an English-language discussion about the future of Syria in January

Rami Emad, Syrian refugee
https://astrogate.space/

Building a supportive community

WHILE THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN SYRIA may be shifting, the challenges faced by refugees in the UK remain significant.

For those who have resettled in our community, the road to stability often involves navigating language barriers, securing employment, and addressing the trauma of displacement. These are not obstacles they should face alone.

Practical, intentional support can make a transformative difference. This includes:

Fostering Inclusion
Creating welcoming spaces in schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods where refugees feel valued and respected.
Investing in Skills and Opportunities
Supporting job training programs and mentoring initiatives to help refugees contribute their talents and build sustainable livelihoods.
Advocating for Resources
Encouraging local governments and organizations to provide accessible housing, education, and healthcare for refugees.
Amplifying Voices
Highlighting Syrian stories in local media and public forums to foster understanding and celebrate their contributions.
Challenging the UK Government when it tries to suspend the right of asylum for Syrian refugees.
Supporting local initiatives
Organisations like GARAS and Stroud Together With Refugees are highly adaptable and maintain close connections with our Syrian community. Supporting them, either through donations or skill sharing (eg befriending or volunteering to help with language learning) is an important and useful action. Access Bikes are working with refugees and also crowdfunding to buy bicycle equipment to donate to refugee families.

Our efforts will not only help individuals and families living here to thrive but will also strengthen the social and cultural fabric of our communities.

Hope as a Guiding Force

THE THREAD THAT BINDS SYRIAN REFUGEES is their unyielding hope. This hope carried them through years of oppression and displacement, fueled their determination to survive, and now inspires their vision for a better future.

Hope, however, requires nurturing. As a community, we can support it by showing solidarity, celebrating progress, and believing in the possibility of renewal. This means seeing refugees not as passive recipients of aid but as active participants in shaping their futures and enriching ours.

By centering hope, we also challenge ourselves to be better—to build communities where diversity is celebrated and where everyone has the chance to succeed.

Syrian refugee children at the Za'atari Refugee camp in JordanImage Credit: Heidi de Vries (https://www.instagram.com/p/BiPJamhFyeR/)

The Transformative Power of Joy

CELEBRATING THE RESILIENCE and achievements of Syrian refugees is not only about honoring their journey but also about creating a ripple effect of positivity.

Joy is contagious, and when we embrace it together, it transforms our communities into places of shared humanity and possibility.

By uplifting the voices and contributions of Syrian refugees, we send a powerful message about our values: that we are a community of inclusion, empathy, and hope. We remind ourselves and the world that every individual, regardless of their background, deserves a chance to thrive.

Dima Khatib, Director of AJ+ is both Syrian and Palestinian. Here she talks of being an exile from both countries and it is important to celebrate Syrian freedom.

Moving Forward Together

THE FALL OF THE ASSAD REGIME IS A TURNING POINT, but rebuilding—both personally and nationally—will take time.

For Syrian refugees, this means navigating the complexities of the past while looking toward a brighter future. For us, it means standing by their side as allies and friends.

Let us seize this moment to reaffirm our commitment to justice and humanity

Let us not only support Syrian refugees but also celebrate their resilience and center their joy.

Together, we can create a community where hope thrives and where the dreams of freedom and dignity that began in Syria find fertile ground.

In doing so, we build a future defined by compassion, solidarity, and shared purpose—a future in which every person, no matter where they come from, can find a place to call home.

Further Resources

THE SYRIAN PEOPLE HAVE ACHIEVED an extraordinary victory, overthrowing decades of dynastical dictatorship under the Assad family.

This fragile but profound moment of freedom is a testament to their unparalleled resilience, strength, and unity. Having lived in Syria during the early 2000s, I witnessed at first hand the deep determination and hope that has now fuelled this historic transformation.

Despite being abandoned by much of the global Left—many of whom have embraced conspiracy theories and disinformation—the Syrians have accomplished this remarkable feat peacefully and by their own volition. This triumph reminds us of the power of collective action in the face of tyranny.

Treating Syrians as being somehow pieces on a geopolitical chessboard strips them of their humanity and denies them their agency.

With so much misinformation being bandied around, it is important that we are well-informed and that we give Syria the opportunity to free itself from years of state and international oppression, most importantly that we allow Syrians to write their own story.

It’s time that we honoured that and joined them in envisioning a brighter future.

Websites

Instagram voices

Razan speaks — https://www.instagram.com/razanspeaks/
The Syria Campaign — https://www.instagram.com/thesyriacampaign/
Hassan Akkad — https://www.instagram.com/hassanakkad/
Waad AlKateab — https://www.instagram.com/waadalkateab/
Action for Sama — https://www.instagram.com/actionforsama/

Further Reading

Emma Calcutt is a local activist who campaigns as a member of Community Solidary Stroud District & Stroud Against Racism. Emma has spent several years living in Syria.

Amplify Stroud is supported by Dialect rural writers collective. Dialect offers mentorship, encouragement and self-study courses as well as publishing.

You can find out more at https://www.dialect.org.uk/