Lina al Hafez
filmmaker and journalist
Enrico De Angelis
co-founder UntoldStories
Loujein Haj Youssef
editor-in-chief Radio Rozana
Kholoud Helmi
co-founder and board member Enab Baladi
Siruan Hossein
founder and general manager Radio Arta
Yassin Swehat
co-founder and editorial board member Al-Jumhuriya Collective
In December 2024, the Syrian regime suddenly fell in the face of the advance of Islamist forces and its Turkish allies. While the future of the country is still uncertain, the 54-year rule of the Assad dynasty ended, opening a new phase for the country. The images of the liberation of thousands of political detainees from Sednaya and other prisons, and those of the squares of different cities filled with people celebrating, suggest that a new beginning is possible.
In this context, the role of mass media and freedom of expression will undoubtedly play a major role as the country needs to rebuild its institutions and re-emerge from the destruction of a decade of war and years of corruption and repression. While international journalists have access to the country again, Syrian journalists will have the crucial task to rebuild a new media sector that is in line with the new political course of the country.
But Syrian journalism is not at a ground zero. After 2011, a number of independent media emerged and managed to grow into credible and professional media organizations, even if they were forced to move into exile during the war. Now that the regime has fallen, many of these initiatives are planning to go back and are designing strategies to adapt to the new situation.
What is the future of the Syrian media environment? Is this really the end of the “kingdom of silence”, with a country that can finally enjoy freedom of expression? What will the legal and political framework of the media field look like? And how are Syrian independent media positioning themselves in this context?
The panel intends to discuss the current developments of the new Syrian journalism with representatives of some of the most relevant independent platforms that were born after the uprising, survived the war, and are now dealing with the possibility of a democratic transition.
Moderated by Enrico De Angelis.
Organised in association with International Media Support.