The story of a revolutionary Damascene woman. Nazik Al Abid reminds us how damaging patriarchal oppressive customs hinder us from any progress, how feminism not only empowers women, but creates a just society. Her struggle for a better Syria, which largely was achieved at the time, did not come without the pointing fingers of insecure men and women who were too intimidated by her. We remember her legacy today with the current state of Syria as we have much to improve and many voices and issues that have been ignored.

Thank you for sharing your article with me. Here is an excerpt that I generated for it: A Syrian queer man shares his journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance in an unkind society. He challenges the stigma and discrimination that he and others like him face, and calls for recognition and respect of their humanity.

Third in our series of Syria’s religious makeup: the Christians. We aim to educate ourselves and our fellow Syrians on the history and communities of our country. Misinformation often grows vastly and knowledge about one another is a vital way to achieve coexistence & move forward. This article delves into the indigeneity of Christianity in Syria, a cradle of the faith. Christianity came to be in the Levant, at a time when Syria was under Roman rule. The language spoken at the time by inhabitants was Aramaic. When the Roman empire split, Syria was an important center of the Eastern Roman Empire, which became known as the Byzantine Empire that was heavily influenced by Greek culture and language. It was in Byzantine Syria that Christianity flourished amongst an Aramaic and Greek speaking population, later spreading worldwide. In order to understand Syria’s Christians today, we need to go back to when Syria was referred to as Aram and understand the ways Aramaic still lives amongst us as a result of its preservation through Christianity. As one of the few Middle Eastern nations with a prominent Christian community, and as one of the oldest Christian communities of the world, Syria’s Christians have left their mark on every aspect of Syrian life from politics and education, to the cultural and artistic scenes. The community is diverse in its sects and ethnic identities, with the 3 largest sects being branches of the Church of Antioch: the Greek Orthodox, Greek Melkite Catholics (the names of both reflecting the Byzantine rite heritage), in addition to the Syriac Orthodox Church. Other prominent churches of Syriac rites include Syriac Catholics, Maronites, and the Assyrian/Chaldean churches, in addition to the large Armenian communities mainly based in Aleppo. Historically a majority, the community has gradually shrunk in size, and today form < 10% of Syria, the 3rd largest religious group after the Sunnis & Alawites

Second in our series of Syria’s religious makeup: the Jews. We aim to educate ourselves and our fellow Syrians on the history and communities of our country. Misinformation often grows vastly and knowledge about one another is a vital way to achieve coexistence and move forward. Syria is part of a region considered to be the cradle of Judaism. Syrian Jews like their fellow Levantine Jews in Lebanon and Palestine form one of, if not, the oldest Jewish communities worldwide. Centred mainly in Damascus and Aleppo, members of this Abrahamic faith were integral to Syria’s cultural image and history. From some of the oldest synagogues worldwide in Aleppo & Jobar (Damascus suburb), to a stunning legacy of rich material culture that still lives on in Old Damascus. Tensions following the partitioning of Palestine, pockets of sectarianism, and ignorance resulted in a community that began to shrink since the late 1800s, culminating to their disappearance in Syria unfortunately today. In the diaspora, while strongly assimilating in their adoptive homes, they hold strongly to their Syrian heritage.

First in our series of Syria’s religious makeup: the Druze. We aim to educate ourselves and our fellow Syrians on the history and communities of our country. Misinformation often grows vastly and knowledge about one another is a vital way to achieve coexistence and move forward. The Druze faith is a syncretic monotheistic faith that is also esoteric and largely secretive. While the faith has some connections to Abrahamic religions and is often mistakenly linked to Islam, today it is a distinct faith with distinct practices, and almost all Druze do not identify as Muslims. Roughly half of the worldwide Druze population is located in Syria where they form the fourth or fifth largest religious group in the country (3-4%), (following Sunni Muslims, Alawites & Christians, preceding Shia Muslims & Ismailis (however they may possibly replace the Druze today as 4th largest, placing the Druze in 5th place)) Edit: Druze are also located in Northern Jordan forming 0.5-1% of the country. This places them in the light pink category on the map with Idlib Governorate.

“Happy Eid” messages have yet again bombarded my phone... Year after year, I look at the messages sent by family and friends whom I haven’t seen in years, and the irony of these two words leave me staring back at them wondering, we are not happy.

Syrians in the diaspora face a dilemma: how to keep their identity alive while adapting to a new environment. This article explores the struggles and joys of being Syrian in Canada, through the lens of personal stories and reflections.

“She knew everything all these years.” Mama and my Queer Identity- an anonymous submission from Aleppo.

In the bustling streets of Tartus, Syria, a disheartening reality confronts women daily. Catcalling has become an accepted norm, a twisted form of compliment, infesting markets, universities, and even religious greetings. This disturbing norm prompts a reflection on the unequal treatment between men and women, where a girl named Zeina, who once catcalled, faced merciless judgment, while the constant harassment by boys remained unaddressed. The exhaustion and frustration with this societal surrender to such behaviors resonate deeply, questioning the endurance of enduring this ongoing injustice.