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.

How does one capture the essence of a city that has been ravaged by war, yet still holds a glimmer of hope and resilience? Issa Touma, a Syrian photographer and cinematographer, has dedicated his life and art to answering this question. Through his films, photographs, and initiatives, he reveals the stories of Aleppo and its people, from the horrors of the conflict to the joys of everyday life.

Happy International Women’s Day. Today we celebrate Syrian women. Dima Al Chaar is one Syrian woman that shared her story with us. A pioneer in the food industry, and we all know how much we love our food as Syrians, the chef seeks to revitalize the industry in Syria.

Born from adversity, inspired by architecture. Empowering women globally through unique designs. From Project Runway to the acclaimed 'The Fashion Group International Rising Star Award' in 2020, a testament to resilience and creativity.

Alya calls on youth to act and be the change, to not stand by amidst the chaos. Her art reflects the idea that we are active agents of progress. Her project was met with admiration locally and internationally, and was published in 5 different languages through the most important art and contemporary design platforms in the world, such as All City Canvas, Dubai Design Week, Circulo Visual, Designboom... Recently, an article was published with printed copies from The Red Bulletin Magazine in France, Britain and America, titled: "Floating Perspective, with her beautiful artwork, Syrian creative Alya Ola Abbas is challenging the world’s view of her country”.