Syria
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Syrian-German director Anis Hamdoun"Theatre should represent Syrians in all their diversity"
Born into a prominent theatre family in Homs, Anis Hamdoun rebuilt his career in Germany from scratch after leaving Syria in 2012. The director and playwright reflects on life between cultural worlds and the future of Syrian theatre.
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Reconstruction in SyriaWhose land will major investors build on?
Syria is relying on competition and foreign investment to fund its reconstruction efforts. In Damascus, citizens are being asked to sell their land for a multi-billion property project. Yet many long to rebuild their own homes.
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Syria after AssadStriking deals with the old elites
The HTS regime presents itself as the "liberator of Syria" while collaborating with key figures from the Assad era. Instead of conducting a thorough reckoning with the past, the new elites are consolidating power with the help of the old.
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Syria after AssadPromises of the revolution remain unfulfilled
Since December 2024, Syria has been oscillating between euphoria and disappointment. The British-Syrian analyst Robin Yassin-Kassab sees optimism as a resource, but the new government’s focus on stability as a potential pitfall.
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Alcohol ban in SyriaWill Damascus soon sober up?
In June, a ban on serving alcohol is due to come into force in Damascus. Bar owners are worried, while the population remains divided. Some consider the ban necessary, others see it as a serious infringement on personal freedoms.
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Syrian novelistThe paradox of Colette Khoury
Syrian author Colette Khoury has died at 95. She wrote with unusual courage about women’s freedom, yet spent her later decades in the service of a regime that stifled the very ideals she once championed.
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Jewish community in Syria"One day we’ll drive from Damascus to Jerusalem"
The fall of Assad has prompted the return of millions of Syrians, including a small Jewish minority. Under Henry Hamra, son of the country’s last chief rabbi, they are asking whether a lasting return is possible.
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Ramadan TV specialsSyrian drama after Assad
Television dramas are a Ramadan staple in Syria. This year, for the first time, viewers watched series written in a post-Assad era, some confronting past trauma, others offering satirical critique, sparking fierce debate over how the country's stories should be told.
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Damascus book fairA new benchmark for freedom
Syria has held its first book fair since the fall of Assad. The landmark event sets a new standard against which the government and its cultural policy will be judged.
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Kurds in SyriaUnity does not come by decree
The Kurdish-dominated autonomous government in northeastern Syria is now history, and the country's unity has largely been restored—at least on paper. But can a society brought together by military pressure become truly cohesive?
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Syrians in TurkeyA home for Istanbul's refugees
Based in an inconspicuous room in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district, Addar offers Syrian refugees education, advice and community. But without proper funding, the initiative is struggling to survive.
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Historical photographs of SyriaAn obsessive archivist
Ahmed Hasan sold his house to pursue a passion for historical photographs. His collection traces Syria's history through everyday life.