MSDAt the invitation of the Aleppo Cultural Forum, a consultative meeting was hold under the title “Where is Syria going to” with the presence of representatives of political and community powers and political, cultural, intellectual and Syrian figures.
The two main themes were discussed during two days on the concept of the Syrian inclusive and national identity and the concept of decentralization and also the consensus was reached on the general and inclusive terms of the importance of forming the Syrian national identity because the Syrian national identity has not been formed historically, so the Syrian national identity is an urgent necessity for Syria and is the first step towards achieving community peace. Therefore, it was agreed to set the common goals, formulas and principles and generalize them to be the base to form the identity intellectually and emotionally and then to consolidate them as rooted intellectual and cultural values and to evoke their existence by regulations and laws as a primary purpose for continuation of the society and maintaining its unity. It was agreed to focus on a new political and media discourse that adopts the concept of an inclusive national identity as an umbrella that brings together the ethnic, cultural, religious, sectarian, national and class diversity in Syria on the basis of free and voluntary citizenship, which is a changing, complex and open identity to all parties based on recognition and rational communication, not on the basis of forced integration.
As for the concept of decentralization, it was touched upon because the structure of the authoritarian regime is based on strong centralization, and therefore there was a dialogue and discussion about decentralization in all its forms while maintaining the unity of Syria, and not only that, but it was discussed as a management method for the development of the country and avoiding the return of authoritarianism, and also the experience of the Autonomous administration was considered as one of the models of decentralization that should be deepened and developed by an inclusive national dialogue, provided that serious and constructive dialogues are followed up on it.
Regarding the framework of the Round Table on Syria, the discussion was focused on the development and formation of a national political umbrella for the Democratic Opposition in Syria, which believes that a peaceful political resolution is the only resolution that expresses the will of Syrians for peaceful democratic change and focuses on the importance of continuing dialogues among Syrians.
