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In Syria, the “Treasures Within” project concludes 2021 with inspiring activities
Finding all the “Treasures Within” to move forward on the path of reconciliation and recovery, this is the aim of a series of activities led lately by UNESCO in Syria and targeting the youth. Funded by the Japanese Government, the project deployed with several youth partners, conducted a set of activities in December 2021, in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (MOSAL) and the Syrian National Commission for UNESCO.
Seven-day camps in Damascus and Aleppo
In that regard, “Innovation & Creativity Camps for youth community leaders” were organized simultaneously in Damascus and Aleppo, in partnership with Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement (IECD). A group of 45 young people (12 men and 13 women from Aleppo; 10 men and 10 women from Damascus) took part in the activity in person, and a group of 100 youth (25 men and 25 women, both from Damascus and Aleppo) participated virtually. The community leaders learned various skills through interactive learning, to design and implement social innovation in order to promote social cohesion and resilience of their communities.
“The Treasures Within camp helped me gain the confidence that I need to navigate life, said Diana Haj Yousef, a 25-year-old participant from Aleppo. I improved my presentation skills and the way to express my opinions with ease and confidence. I have worked in 2 different jobs before, but I didn’t feel like I had myself. It is not what I was meant to do. The camp helped me realize that I want to work in the community service field; I want to give back to my community”. “The experience changed my life and helped me realize what I want to do with it”, she added.
Public debate games and QPE awareness sessions
Moreover, a set of two Students’ Public debates games were organized at the premises of Damascus University and Aleppo University, on 6 and 8 December 2021, in partnership with Syrian Trust. A group of 16 youth, trained in public debate based on research and critical thinking, debated youth concerns including “the governmental support for basic materials in Syria” and “measuring academic excellence.”
A series of 10 awareness sessions on Quality Physical Education (QPE) and youth wellbeing were also conducted in Damascus in partnership with Antioch University, during which 120 students and community leaders gained practical knowledge in advocacy and enhancing social cohesion and resilience of communities through sports and QPE. To celebrate the International Day on Persons with Disabilities (PWD), the awareness session series were concluded with a friendly basketball match to advocate for an inclusive society at Al-Fayhaa Stadium, by mobilizing a group of 20 student volunteers to ensure its smooth organization.
Youth-led research policy dialogue in Aleppo
To understand the challenges for inclusiveness in Aleppo, youth-led interdisciplinary field research was initiated as well in partnership with Ebla University. The preliminary findings from the specific rights-holders (orphans, persons with disabilities & internally displaced populations) as well as urban development strategies were shared on 9 December among researchers and policy makers in a one-day research seminar, at the Aleppo Chamber of Commerce Hall.
