MSDThe Syrian Democratic Council held a discussion on Sunday with a group of Syrian youth in Raqqa regarding national workspaces. The discussion took place during a workshop held at the SDC meeting hall in the center of Raqqa city.
The workshop, attended by SDC Executive Body members who are Hassan Muhammed Ali and Thabet Al-Jawhar, focused on two main topics. The first topic addressed the current situation and challenges facing Syrian youth in the national work, while the second topic focused on the future and potential solutions.
The workshop included a participation by Syrian youth representing civil society organizations, as well as civil activists and media people. Thabet Al-Jawhar, a member of the Executive Body of the SDC, analyzed the current situation faced by Syrian youth, including displacement, the absence of direction, and concerns about migration. He emphasized the importance of discussing challenges and future prospects according to the nature of each region, aiming to establish a Syrian youth movement in all fields.
Regarding the activation of youth participation in political life, the youth activist Yasser Al-Khalouf called for increased involvement in political life, public affairs, and decision-making processes as fundamental principles of democracy.
Due to the significant national workspaces in northeastern Syria, Ahmed Al-Bush from Al-Sharq University called for these areas to become a model to address youth and societal issues and achieve the desired reality.
Regarding the mechanisms of civil society work, Mustafa Najm from “The Intensive Care Association” advocated for organizing youth and forming committees to oversee their work, coordinating with society and administration.
During the second topic, Hassan Muhammed Ali, the Co-Chairman of the Relations Bureau of the Syrian Democratic Council, discussed the challenges facing youth and raised the question of how youth can play an important role and be active participants in the Syrian scene. He emphasized the importance of organization, guidance, and participation to achieve this.
Yarub Al-Khateeb, the director of “Lamasat Al-Khair” organization, spoke about the problems faced by youth, as they have been the most affected group since the start of the Syrian Movement in 2011. He highlighted the need to attract youth elites, encourage education, and provide them with workspaces for work and achievement.
On another note, Jihan Al-Saeed from “Al-Yasmeen Association” noted that the existing youth settled in order to rebuild their country, while Muhammed Al-Hamoud, the director of “Al-Diyar Association,” stressed the necessity of forming an independent youth body that creates trust and contributes to the reconstruction of Syria as whole.
It is worth mentioning that there were numerous participations, discussions, and responses during the workshop to shed intense light on youth issues and achieve better results in the upcoming stages. Several previous mini-dialogues sessions were held before that workshop.
The participants agreed that these sessions and workshops should be held regularly on a monthly basis, focusing on specific topics related to Syrian youth and their goals.
