Believing in the inherent dignity of all human beings, guided by the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and affirming the right of Syrians to active and responsible participation in public life, the Syrian Hope Forum initiative—which launched its initial civic movement in February 2021—advances toward a new phase of comprehensive relaunch. Grounded in a forward-looking vision built on objectivity, participatory action, and digital innovation, the Forum moves beyond traditional frameworks to strengthen the presence of the Syrian voice in public affairs through clear, documented pathways.
This new phase introduces a digital civic methodology focused on transforming individual and collective participation into a structured process that begins with listening and culminates in verifiable, impact-driven outcomes.
A Reality Demanding Transformation
For over a decade and a half, the Syrian people have faced compounding crises alongside severe economic, social, and human rights challenges. Despite the major historical transformations experienced in Syria in late 2024, broad segments of Syrians—both domestically and across host countries—continue to face fragile conditions and accumulated issues requiring responses directly tied to actual needs and driven by affected voices.
Experience has shown that documenting suffering alone is insufficient. Building sustainable responses requires establishing direct channels of communication with stakeholders and affected communities, enabling them to serve as essential partners in clarifying their reality, defining their priorities, and formulating recommendations affecting their lives and rights.
From this standpoint, the initiative adopts a core principle: shifting from individual grievances and fragmented problem-presentation toward building a structured, digital civic pathway that begins by listening to realities on the ground and ends with actionable, trackable outcomes.
From Expression to a Trackable Pathway
The Forum does not aim to create merely an additional space for grievance expression; rather, it seeks to establish a clear, defined procedural pathway that guides each case file through integrated stages: Clarifying the Issue - Listening to Affected Communities - Drafting Hearing Reports & Building Endorsements - Engaging Stakeholders - Tracking Responses - Documenting Outcomes
Identity and Nature of the Initiative
A Digital Civic Advocacy & Engagement Platform: The Forum does not represent a licensed bureaucratic institution or a traditional organization with closed doors; rather, it constitutes an entirely independent digital civic advocacy and engagement platform, powered purely by voluntary efforts.
Independence and Non-Paternalism: The initiative is not affiliated with any political agenda or entity, strictly rejects the use of Syrian needs as bargaining chips in political or financial negotiations, and makes no claim to paternalism or exclusive representation of Syrian society.
Scope of Action: The Forum’s role is confined to organizing participation facilitated through its platform, documenting case files within its operational scope, pursuing follow-ups with relevant stakeholders, and publishing results according to clear, public standards.
Commitments and Operational Rules
The Forum operates on critical procedural pillars ensuring that Syrians remain active partners in shaping decisions:
- Listening and Priority for Affected Stakeholders: Granting primary priority to the voices of the most marginalized groups and directly affected communities when opening cases and drafting session reports.
- Participatory Solution-Building: Striving to derive demands and recommendations directly from data and input linked to the case, without imposing pre-existing assumptions.
- Legitimacy Through Mandates and Endorsements: Speaking with the strength of collective will, sealed by digital mandates and clear community endorsements from participants and the public.
- The Diplomacy of Numbers and Impact: Converting daily crises and needs into compelling quantitative facts and evidence that compel decision-makers and stakeholders to take serious action and respond.
- Transparency and Accountability: Maintaining absolute clarity regarding participation figures and the scope of communications, committing to publicly correcting material errors under a transparent correction policy, and refraining from publishing unverified information.
- Digital Security and Privacy Protection: Implementing elevated digital protection standards to adhere to data minimization principles, safeguarding participant privacy and identity confidentiality through standard and advanced encryption protocols.
Do Not Underestimate Your Participation
The Syrian Hope Forum extends its invitation to every Syrian woman and man, domestically and across host countries: do not settle for merely observing and waiting.
Participation in the Forum is not simply registering a position. Your engagement may begin as a clarification of an issue affecting your life or rights, or as an endorsement of a demand that merits follow-up. When participation converges within a structured framework, it transforms into documented evidence, clear demands, and a trackable record showing what happens next.
When participation becomes organized and grounded in facts, voice becomes impact that drives change.
Qusay Dali,
Founder and General Coordinator of the Syrian Hope Forum Initiative,
Last Updated:
October 2026