Where are Syria and Rojava heading?

Where are Syria and Rojava heading?

Panel discussion with Fouad Omar (representative for external relations of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) from Rojava)

A brutal proxy war has been raging in Syria for over 13 years, costing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people from different ethnic and religious groups. Millions have been displaced from their ancestral homes and the expulsions continue to this day.

Since the beginning of December 2024, Islamist groups of various political colours – from the Muslim Brotherhood to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Al-Qaeda, Al Nusra, IS) – have been in power in Damascus with the support of Turkey and other international and regional powers. With the militias they support, Turkey is attempting to take over further areas of the gender-balanced, multi-ethnic and multi-religious self-government of North and East Syria by force, and the bombings and repression of the civilian population continue on a daily basis. We have all experienced the impact of these groups on life here in Europe.

What will the future of Syria look like, which forces are offering solutions and what are the solutions for shaping Syria? What are realistic prospects for a peaceful Syria? What can and should the states and the civilian population in Europe do? These and many other questions will be addressed by Fouad Omar, the current representative for external relations of the Democratic Union Party from Rojava in Europe.

Fouad Omar

• Kurdish political activist in Syria since 1980
• Chairman of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) until 2010
• Head of the Control and Anti-Corruption Department of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (2021-2024)
• Currently representative for external relations of the Democratic Union Party in Europe

An event organised by Rojava-Solidarität Bochum in cooperation with the Fritz Bauer Forum Bochum

Contact: Agir Mustafa Birhîmeoglu(birhimeoglu@ifak-bochum.de)