Once upon a time,
There was a paradise.
It was on earth.
It was in Syria.
It was a haven for great civilisations.Â
It was a haven for Mother Nature.
It was a generous land with generous people.Â
It was an incubator of remarkable inventions.
It was the land where life was lived richly.
It was the theatre where love danced joyfully.
It was the place where million-year-old souls...
- By Ninos Sawa
LEAVING BEHIND
It’s a sad feeling when you leave your home. I have left my home only physically. My heart and mind are still in Syria.
I miss my college, friends, and the house I grew up in. I hope it hasn’t been destroyed or bombed. I don’t have any information about it now.
THE REFUGEE EXPERIENCE
Refugees need to...
Published by Beloved Syria with the permission of the author.
Lady Damascus was first published in SYRIA through writers’ eyes, edited by Marius Kociejowski (Eland Publishing Ltd, 2010).
Brigid Keenan is a journalist and author. Her book Damascus: Hidden Treasures of the Old City (Thames & Hudson, 2000) and the photographer Tim Beddow who helped her produce it are mentioned in Lady Damascus. See this...
In Damascus last September on a journalist's visa, I had the opportunity to interview some truly impressive women in different fields of work.
This impromtu chat in a school yard was the most spontaneous and delightful of interviews. The students were thrilled to meet a 'real' journalist and, as it happened, I was thrilled to show off the little bit...
Interview with Lubna, recorded by Susan Dirgham in 2010
Extract:
In regard to women’s issues and the equality of the sexes, what are some of the differences of opinion in Syria?
You have a whole range of opinions. For example, men are demanding their rights, like to be equal to the women! They are saying, like, women have more rights than...
What makes you proud to be Syrian?
I’m proud to be Syrian because Syria has been always an important country since the beginning of humanity.
Syria is a secular country. Can you explain what this means to a non-Syrian?
As a Christian, I can say that in Syria I lived the same life I’m living in Italy and I had the same freedom. In...
Article by Lisa Accadia, AMES Australia
We recently sat down to interview Bushra, a Syrian who arrived in Australia toward the end of 2016. Bushra spoke generously to us about her life, culture, and faith. What we discovered was a warm-hearted woman whose love for life and good humour was not foreign. We hope that her approach to life and...
Our new series features Syrian cafés and restaurants in Melbourne and the Syrian Australians who have established them.
We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Safi Ayoush, the Syrian Australian owner of Raqwa Café and Beer Garden. Safi was born in Australia, but he spent his formative years in Syria, hence his close connection to Syria.
Safi hopes to attract members of the Syrian...
How do you recognize that someone is Syrian? Are there any common characteristics?
Syrians are distinguished for being kind to everyone, even to strangers. For example, a Syrian would rush to give a helping hand to a blind person to cross the street. Another instance, a Syrian would immediately help an old person carrying heavy things into his/her house. A...
