History

The first Syrian businesswoman! Matilde Chelhot was a visionary leader who used her wealth and influence to create a major educational institution that offered vocational training to the poor and needy. She was also a humanitarian who worked with the Red Crescent and donated everything she owned for the benefit of the working class. In this article, you will discover the amazing life and legacy of Matilde Chelhot, who left behind a fragrant memory of good deeds, altruism, achievement, and inspiration.

Did you know that Syrian Americans have been in the US since 1880? In this article, you will discover their rich and diverse history, culture, and contributions to various fields in America.

Louay Kayyali was a famous Syrian painter who faced rejection and depression for showing the reality of war and poverty in his country. His controversial exhibition “For the Sake of Cause” in 1967 was a turning point in his life and career. In this article, we explore his life and work, and why he painted the truth, even when it hurt.

Today, Akitu is mainly celebrated by the Assyrian/Aramaean identifying community, Chaldeans (Catholic Assyrians), and all Syrian and Iraqi Christians following the Syriac Orthodox & Catholic churches. It is also significant to many Alawites & Ismailis in the country (altogether, these communities form between 20-30% of Syria).

Our ancestors across the region recognized the importance of celebrating life, renewal, and our fertile lands. Syria today seems to be the antithesis of that, many of our people are desperate for a life worth celebrating, but we remember the many Syrians both in and out of the country who are doing their part in a strive for a better Syria.

Akitu Brikho (Syriac for Blessed Akitu) to every one of those Syrians whose love for our land, history, and belief in our people in spite of everything, never withers away.

“The Syrian Orontes (river) has long been discharging into the Tiber (of Italy), carrying with it its language and morals and slanting strings, complete with piper, not to speak of its native timbrels.” -Juvenal, an ancient Roman poet.

The Lira is Syria’s official currency. It has evolved numerous times with the changes that Syria and the region in general went through from the late Ottoman era, to the French Mandate, to foreign interventions through to independence, and its usage began in 1948.

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.

This article tells the story of Soraya Tarzi, the first Queen of Afghanistan and a pioneer of civil rights. She was born in Damascus to a progressive father and a Syrian mother. She married Prince Amanullah Khan, who became the King of Afghanistan in 1919. Together, they introduced many reforms to modernize Afghan society, such as education for girls, women’s rights, and separation of religion and state. However, they faced resistance from conservative forces and had to leave the country in 1929. Soraya died in exile in 1968, but her legacy lives on.

How did a young Syrian man who moved to Istanbul in 1873 start a culinary revolution that would span continents and cultures? Discover the story of Siddeeq Khabbaz, the founder of the first Shawerma restaurant in Syria, and how his legacy lives on in every bite of this mouthwatering dish.

A further testament to the cultural and historical significance of Syria. We explore some of the features of the Notre-Dame in Paris that surprisingly have origins in Syria. The information is based on the 2019 writings of Middle East researcher Diana Darke.