• 22 Jan, 2026

On the first of October, the Initiative for the Defense of Rights, in partnership with the Syriana Al-Amal team, held the fifth dialogue session of the project Together for Civil Peace and Social Cohesion in the city of Idlib The session witnessed wide participation from civil society activists representatives of civil society organizations lawyers and community actors alongside prominent representation from various local components of the city

From isolation to participation

The discussions reflected Idlibs experience of isolation and marginalization due to the siege imposed by the former Syrian regime Participants expressed a clear aspiration to break this isolation by enhancing the citys role and participation in the current context through expanding the scope of engagement and opening channels of communication and interaction with other governorates

Civil peace and transitional justice

Participants affirmed that achieving civil peace is contingent upon achieving transitional justice first Sustainable peace cannot be established without holding those responsible for crimes and violations accountable including killing displacement and rights abuses They stressed that transitional justice is a fundamental gateway to citizenship and that the path toward civil peace requires continuous time and effort to rebuild trust and prevent the distortion of the Syrian revolution narrative

Transitional justice and documenting violations

The discussions highlighted the importance of involving victims and their families in this process and conveying their testimonies faithfully alongside accurate documentation of violations It was emphasized that transitional justice is not limited to accountability but also includes compensation institutional reform and guarantees of non repetition

Media and hate speech

Attendees agreed that the media plays a decisive role in documenting the transitional phase and conveying facts objectively away from falsification They also noted the dual role of social media which can either enhance dialogue or become a platform for incitement and hate speech Participants called for safeguards and regulatory measures to hold accountable those who incite and ensure that media use serves justice and civil peace while respecting freedom of expression

The participants concluded that continuing these meetings is not a luxury but a necessity to build a common ground that enables Idlib to break prevailing stereotypes and play an active role as a partner in any path toward justice peace and stability