Syria on our Minds &
in our Classrooms
Global
Classroom
Workshops
made possible
by:
THE NORCLIFFE
FOUNDATION
And World
Affairs Council
Members
© Michael Scott
A Resource Packet for Educators
COMPILED BY:
Annie Kean, Carrie Simpson, Shannon Dunn, Amy Lutterloh,
& Tese Wintz Neighbor
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
th
October 16 , 2013
SYRIA ON OUR MINDS AND IN OUR CLASSROOMS
Table of Contents
Introducing the Speakers……………………………………….1
Background Information .............................................. 2
Maps/Geography.............................................................. 2
Fast Facts ......................................................................... 4
USING THIS RESOURCE
GUIDE
NOTE: Many of these descriptions
were excerpted directly from the
source website.
Country Profile and Introductory Resources…………………6
Recommended
History of Syria……………………………………………………….8
Resource
The Day After:
Common Core
Connection
Arabic Words and Phrases…………………………………………8
Syria in Crisis ............................................................. 10
Political Upheaval .......................................................... 10
Chemical Weapons History and Debate……………………..15
Audio
Environmental Upheaval ................................................ 21
Social Upheaval and Refugees………………………………….23
Breaking Stereotypes
Relations with Neighboring Countries ………………………27
Mideast News Sources…………………………………………34
Charts and Graphs
Interpreting Visual Media………………………………………..35
Contemporary Life in Syria…………………………….……..40
Maps
Religion and Ethnic Diversity……………………………………40
Women in Syria……………………………………………………..43
Visual Media
Education System………………………………………………….46
Arts and Culture…………………………………………………48
Architecture/UNESCO sites……………………………………..48
Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math
(STEM)
Visual Arts…………………………………………………………….51
Music and Literature………………………………………………53
Local Organizations…………………………………………….55
Lesson Plans/Educator
Resources
Local Humanitarian Organizations…………………………..57
Educational Games
Resources from Syria
Special thanks to Michael Scott for the exclusive use of his personal photos in this packet.
World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
1
INTRODUCING THE SPEAKERS
Rita Zawaideh
Rita is the winner of the 2013 Globalist of the Year Award. She travels frequently to the
Middle Eastern region, and has just returned from leading a humanitarian mission in Jordan
and Syria. She has been working with a team of U.S. doctors and local volunteers distributing
medical supplies and care along the Syria-Jordan border. Rita is the owner of Caravan-Serai
Tours, a wholesale land tour company which designs tours for individuals and groups. She
also founded the Arab American Community Coalition and then the Salaam Cultural Museum
to help foster understanding between Arab Americans and the rest of American society.
Reşat Kasaba
Reşat Kasaba is Stanley D, Golub Chair of International Studies and Director of the Henry M.
Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. Reşat was born in
Turkey and completed his early education in that country. He received his B.S. in Economics
and Statistics from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara (1977), his Masters and
Ph.D in Sociology from the State University of New York at Binghamton, in 1979 and 1985,
respectively. Reşat’s main area of research has been the Ottoman Empire and Turkey and has
covered economic history, state-society relations, migration, ethnicity and nationalism, and
urban history. He is the author and editor of seven books and 41 articles dealing with the
Ottoman Empire, Turkey, and the Middle East. In 1999, he was the recipient of the University
of Washington's Distinguished Teaching Award.
Cengiz Çandar
A journalist since 1976, Cengiz Çandar is the author of seven books in Turkish, mainly about
the Middle East, including the best-seller Mesopotamia Express: A Journey in History. He
contributed to two Century Foundation publications: "Turkey's Transformation and American
Policy" and "Allies in Need: Turkey and the US." He is senior columnist of Radikal in Istanbul.
Çandar was a special foreign policy adviser to Turkish President Turgut Ozal from 1991 to
1993.
Cassandra Nelson
Cassandra Nelson has been an aid worker with the international humanitarian aid
organization Mercy Corps since 2002. She has been responding to the Syrian crisis for over a
year, working in Lebanon and Jordan. She has been a first-responder to almost every major
humanitarian crisis over the past decade including the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, the Iraq
war, the Haiti earthquake, and the 2011 famine in Mogadishu. Prior to joining Mercy Corps,
Ms. Nelson worked as a freelance photojournalist covering the war in Afghanistan for media
companies including NBC, BBC, Scholastic, and the European Broadcast Union. She received
a B.A. from Stanford University and a Masters in Communications from the University of
California.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: MAPS AND GEOGRAPHY
Fast Facts
Capital: Damascus
Official Language: Arabic
Currency: Syrian Pound
Area: ∼185,180 sq.km. (similar to
Washington State)
Date of Independence: April 17,
1946
Population: 22,457,336 (July 2013
est.)
Official Religion: Sunni Muslim
(74%)
http://www.freeworldmaps.net/asia/syria/syria-map
ADDITIONAL MAPS
Library of Congress: Map of Syria
http://www.loc.gov/resource/g7460.ct002141/
National Geographic: Syria Map
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/syria-map/
Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection — Syria
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/syria.html
Washington Post: The One Map that Shows Why Syria is So
Complicated
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/27/th
e-one-map-that-shows-why-syria-is-so-complicated/
The flag of Syria was officially
adopted on March 30, 1980. The flag
of Syria incorporates the Pan-Arab
colors of green, red, white and black,
which can also be seen on the flags of
Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, and Iraq.
http://www.mapsofworld.com/flags/s
yria-flag.html
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: MAPS AND GEOGRAPHY
Lesson Plan: Geography of Middle East
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons_plans/middle-east-andnorth-africa-geography/
This lesson plan gives students an overview of the region’s geographical
past, while exposing students to the complexity and diversity of the region.
It also ensures a basic geographical starting point for any unit plan about
the region, or for any mini-unit delving into Middle Eastern current affairs.
Geography IQ: Syria—Economy
http://www.geographyiq.com/countries/sy/Syria_economy_summary.htm
Syria is a middle-income, developing country with an economy based on
agriculture, oil, industry, and tourism. However, Syria's economy faces
serious challenges and impediments to growth, including: a large and
poorly performing public sector; declining rates of oil production; widening
non-oil deficit; wide scale corruption; weak financial and capital markets;
and high rates of unemployment tied to a high population growth rate. In
addition, Syria currently is the subject of U.S. economic sanctions under
the Syria Accountability Act, which prohibits the export and re-export of
most U.S. products to Syria.
Common Core Standards
Geography
Standard 1: Understands the
characteristics and uses of
maps, globes, and other
geographic tools and
technologies
Standard 2: Knows the
location of places,
geographic features and
patterns of the environment
Standard 3: Understands the
characteristics and uses of
spatial organization of the
Earth’s surface
Standard 4: Understands the
physical and human
characteristics of place
Standard 5: Understands the
concept of regions
Standard 6: Understands
that culture and experience
influence people’s
perceptions of places and
regions
© Michael Scott
Did You Know?
Syria is about the same size as Washington State with a population a little over three times as large – 22
million.
Syria is very diverse, ethnically and religiously, but most Syrians are ethnic Arabs and follow the Sunni
branch of Islam.
Civilization in Syria goes back thousands of years, but the country as it exists today is very young. Its
borders were drawn by European colonial powers in the 1920s.
Syria is in the middle of an extremely violent civil war. Fighting between government forces and rebels
has killed more than 100,000 and created 2 million refugees, half of them children.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: FAST FACTS
Geography
 Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey.
 Area: ∼185,180 sq. km. (slightly larger than North Dakota).
 Capital: Damascus.
 Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coast plain; mountains in west.
 Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters
(December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus.
Current Environmental Issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water
pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water.
People
 Noun and Adjective: Syrian(s).
 Population: 22,457,336 (July 2013 est.).
 Annual Population Growth: 0.15% (2013 est.).
 Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%.
 Language: Official language, Arabic, mother tongue of about 90% of population, understood by
most others. Kurdish (Kirmanji), Armenian, Turkic, and Syriac spoken by minorities; French and
English spoken by educated elites in major urban areas.
 Religion: Sunni Muslim (official) 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%, Christian
(various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo).
 Literacy: Male 90.3%, Female 77.7%, Total Population: 84.1% (2011 est.).
 Health: Infant mortality rate - 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy - 75.14 years.
Government
 Type: republic under an authoritarian regime.
 Legal System: mixed legal system of civil and Islamic law (for family courts).
 Government: governmental system based on Permanent Constitution of March 13, 1973.
Theoretically, power divided into executive, legislative, and judicial spheres, but all institutions
overshadowed by preeminence of president (reelected February 10, 1985, in national referendum
for seven-year term), who was head of state, chief executive, and secretary of ruling Baath (Arab
Socialist Resurrection) Party. People's Council, 195 member parliament, popularly elected since
1986 for terms of four years.
Economy
 GDP (official exchange rate): $ 64.7 billion (2011 est.).
 GDP per capital: $5,100 (PPP 2011 est.).
 Real GDP growth rate: NA% (2012 est.).
 Agricultural Products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton,
eggs, poultry, milk.
 Industries: petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining,
cement, oil seeds crushing, car assembly.
 Trade: Exports: crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles,
clothing, meat and live animals, wheat. Export Partners: Iraq 55.9%, Saudi Arabia 9.3%, Kuwait
6.1%, UAE 5.3%, Lebanon 4.2% (2012 est.). Imports: machinery and transport equipment, electric
power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products,
plastics, yarn, paper. Import Partners: Saudi Arabia 21.2%, UAE 10.4%, Iran 7.7% China 7%, Iraq
6.3%, Ukraine 6.3%, Egypt 4.3% (2012).
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sy.html and http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/sytoc.html
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: FAST FACTS
UNICEF: An Economic Comparison Between the U.S. and Syria Provided by UNICEF (2011)
Syrian Arab Republic
U.S.
Infant mortality rate (under 1)
13
6
Total population (thousands)
20,766
313,085
466
4,322
Life expectancy at birth
76
79
Number per 100 population using
mobile phones
63
106
Number per 100 population using
internet
23
78
67/73
89/90
GDP per capita average annual growth
rate % (1990-2011)
2
2
Average annual rate inflation (%)
7
2
Annual number of births (thousands)
Secondary school participation
(percentage) male/female
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/syria_statistics.html
Economic Statistics from CIA World Fact Book
Syrian Arab Republic
GDP (Purchasing
Power Parity)
GDP per capita
Labor force
Unemployment
rate
Population below
poverty line
U.S.
$107.6 billion (2011 est.)
$15.94 trillion (2012 est.)
$5,100 (2011 est.)
$50,700 (2012 est.)
5.327 million (2012 est.)
155 million
18% (2012 est.)
8.1% (2012 est.)
11.9% (2006 est.)
15.1% (2010 est.)
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sy.htm
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: INTRODUCTORY RESOURCES
CIA World Fact Book: Profiles of both Syria and the U.S.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sy.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
CIA World 2012 Exchange Rate
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2076.html#sy
Syrian pounds (SYP) per US dollar: 64.3919.
UNDATA: A World of Information: Syrian Arab Republic
http://data.un.org/CountryProfile.aspx?crName=Syrian%20Arab%20Republic
The World Statistics Pocketbook’s economic statistics on Syria.
U.S. State Department: U.S.-Syrian Economic Relations
http://photos.state.gov/libraries/syria/328666/trade_commerce/us-syrian-economic-relations.pdf
A summary of the U.S.-Syrian Economic Relations over the last 60 years, including the Bush
administrations’ (2004) prohibition of U.S. exports to Syria based on reasons of weapons of mass
destruction, support for regional rejectionist groups, and destabilizing policies in Iraq and Lebanon.
European External Action Services: Country Environmental Profile for the Syrian Arab Republic
http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/syria/documents/content/eu_syria/cep_syria_en.pdf
This profile was produced by the Delegation of the European Commission to Syria in April 2009. Syria
faces serious natural and man-made environmental problems that need to be urgently addressed. The
most pressing ones are related to water scarcity and contamination, soil degradation, air pollution,
inappropriate solid waste treatment and disposal, biodiversity loss, and coastal and maritime
pollution...Undesirable environmental changes are driven by many factors including economic growth,
population growth, urbanization, intensification of agriculture, rising energy use and transportation,
but importantly with a better understanding and management there is scope to improve the current
situation.
Day Press News (Global Arab Network): Syria Addressing Environmental Problems & Reducing
Pollution
http://www.dp-news.com/en/detail.aspx?articleid=49632
Syrian Deputy Minister of State for Environment Affairs Imad Hassoun said the Ministry is working in
coordination with the concerned parties to find solutions to ensure a healthy environment and
sustainable development. He pointed out that the ministry is cooperating with international experts
and Chambers of Industry in the field of treating industrial waste water and mechanisms of choosing
treatment plants technically and economically and ensuring their technical performance.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: COUNTRY PROFILES
© Michael Scott
National Geographic Travel: Country Profile of Syria
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/syria-guide/
This site contains a World Heritage Guide, features, and a map of Syria.
One World Nations Online: Profile of Syria
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/syria.htm
Includes country profile, statistics, and maps.
Library of Congress Country Profile: Syria
http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Syria.pdf
A comprehensive guide to Syria’s historical background,
religion, geography, society, economy, transportation,
government/politics, and national security.
UNICEF: At a Glance: Syrian Arab Republic
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/syria_statistics.ht
ml
Statistics on mortality rate, literacy rate, nutrition,
AIDS/HIV, life expectancy, etc.
World Bank: Syrian Arab Republic Overview
http://data.worldbank.org/country/syrian-arab-republic
Statistics on world development indicators, projects and
operations, finances, surveys and climate.
Looking for a good text on Middle
Eastern history? We recommend:
Gelvin, James. The Modern Middle East:
A History. 2011.
Introduction:
Teaching the Middle
East after the Tunisian
and Egyptian
Revolutions…Beyond Orientalism,
Islamophopia, and Neoliberalism.
2011.
http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/
1888/introduction_teaching-themiddle-east-after-the-tu
UN Country Profile: Syrian Arab Republic
http://data.un.org/CountryProfile.aspx?crName=Syrian%20Arab%20Republic
General statistics, economic indicators, social indicators, environmental indicators and trade profile.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: HISTORY OF SYRIA
BBC Country Profile: Syria Timeline
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east14703995
Includes a chronology of key events beginning in
1918, categorizing the country’s history into
periods such as “Pressure over Lebanon,” “Israeli
Strike,” and “International Acceptance.”
BBC: A History of Syria with Dan Snow
(04/05/2013)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01rb2st
Dan Snow travels to Syria to see how the
country's fascinating and tumultuous history is
shaping the current civil war.
The Middle Eastern Center, The Jackson School
of International Studies: Syria: Chess Match at
the Borders
http://jsis.washington.edu/mideast/vidlib.shtml
Chronicles the historical background that makes
Syria both a player and a pawn in the geopolitical
chess match that characterizes the Middle East,
focusing on the three Arab-Israeli wars — in 1948,
1967, and 1973 and their legacy, including the
influx of Palestinian refugees, and the occupation
of the Golan Heights. In French with English
subtitles.
Enchanted Learning: Fishbone Diagram
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorgan
izers/fishbone/
Use BBC’s Timeline to create a Fishbone Map of
the causes leading up to the unrest in Syria. This
website contains ready-to-print-out fishbone
maps (or herringbone maps) for students to
synthesize their findings in a simple, visual way.
PBS’ Global Connections: The Middle East
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mid
east/index.html
This site contains a timeline of Middle Eastern
history since 1900. Students can learn about
events through the lens of politics, science, and
economics. Students can answer connecting
questions such as, “What’s the appeal of religious
militancy?
Arabic Words and Phrases
Hi!
Salam!
‫س الم‬
Good morning!
Sabah el kheer
‫ال خ ير ص باح‬
Good evening!
Masaa el kheer
‫ال خ ير م ساء‬
Welcome!
(to greet someone)
Marhaban ‫مرح با‬
How are you?
Kaifa haloka/ haloki (
female)
‫؟حال ك ك يف‬
I'm fine, thanks!
bikhair, shukran!
‫ش كرا ب خ ير أن ا‬
Thank you (very much)!
Shokran (jazeelan)
(‫جزي ال( ش كرا‬
Good night!
Tosbeho/ tosbeheena
(female) ‘ala khair
‫ت ص بح‬/ ‫خ ير ع لى ت ص بح ين‬
Good bye!
Ma’a salama
‫ال س المة مع‬
BBC Languages Guide to Arabic
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/o
ther/arabic/guide/phrases.shtml
10 facts, 20 key phrases, the
alphabet and videos.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: HISTORY OF SYRIA
WORKSHEET
Five Facts About Syria
http://www.livescience.com/39338-five-facts-about-syria.html
1. The Syrians
About 23 million people live in Syria, and the majority of those people, about 74 percent, are Sunni
Muslims. Another 12 percent of the population is made up of Alawites, a sect of Shia Muslims. Despite
being a minority, Alawites have dominated the government for decades; President Bashar al-Assad is
an Alawite. About 10 percent of the population is Christian, and another small percentage is made up of
Druze, a mystical religious sect with elements common to several monotheistic religions. Whereas
most people in Syria speak Arabic, about 9 percent of the population — mostly in the northeast —
speaks Kurdish.
2. Ancient History
Syria has been a cradle of civilization for at least 10,000 years. It was home to the ancient majestic city
of Ebla, which flourished from 1800 B.C. to 1650 B.C. A vast trove of 20,000 cuneiform tablets
unearthed in the city provided an unprecedented look at everyday life in Mesopotamia at the time.
Since then, it has been part of the major empires of history: At various times, the Egyptians, Assyrians,
Chaldeans, Persians, Macedonians and Romans ruled the region.
3. Notable Places
The biggest cities in the country — Aleppo, in the northwest, and Damascus, in the southwest — are
truly ancient. Damascus was first mentioned in an Egyptian document dating to 1500 B.C. Carbon
dating from archaeological sites near Tell Ramad, just outside of Damascus, suggests that site has been
occupied as far back as 6300 B.C. Aleppo may be one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in the
world. There is evidence of human inhabitance of the area from about 6000 B.C., and because the city
was along the Silk Road, it saw bustling trade for centuries. For Photos: “Survival of an Ancient
Civilization in Syria”, http://www.livescience.com/15266-photos-survival-ancient-civilization.html.
4. Modern History
For nearly four centuries, Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire. Along with what is now Lebanon, Syria
came under French control after the Ottoman Empire collapsed in 1918, and became an independent
country in 1946. Because the area was once one territory, Syria has traditionally tried to exert influence
over Lebanon, and from 1976 to 2005, Syrian troops occupied portions of Lebanon, ostensibly to
protect Lebanon from outside threats. (Demonstrations in Lebanon successfully removed Syrian
presence in the country after the assassination of Lebanon's Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.) Hafez alAssad, the current president's father, was in power from 1971 until his death in 2000. The elder Assad
violently squelched dissent and killed thousands of people in a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood
in 1982. The current president Assad assumed his position after his father's death.
5. Current Conflict: Fill in your own overview of the current conflict.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
SYRIA IN CRISIS: POLITICAL UPHEAVAL
The Economist: Who’s Who in Syria’s Battlefield
Challenge your students to research these groups and role play
their positions and ideology.
Common Core Connection
Name
Leader
Aims
Supreme Military Command (SMC)
General Salim Idriss, a defector.
Syrian Islamic Front
Collective leaders’ council: chair is Abu
Abdullah al-Hamawi.
Syrian Liberation Front
Sheikh Ahmed Issa, head of Saqour alSham.
Set up in December 2012 under the
Syrian National Coalition in an effort to
unite rebels backed by Western and
Arab Gulf governments. Has limited
control on the ground.
Syrian Islamists. Includes Ahrar al Sham
and other Salafist groups. Co0operates
with SMC.
Coalition of Islamist groups.
Independent of mainstream fighters, but
works closely with them. Some leaders
sit on SMC.
THE DAY AFTER
Main fronts:
Fighting groups:
Jabhat al-Nusra
Abu Muhammad al-Golani
Ahrar al-Sham
Farouq Battalions
Abu Abdel Rahman al-Suri, Abu
Abdullah al-Hamawi, Abu Ayman
(political leader)
Osama Sayeh al-Jinidi
Liwa al-Tawhid
Abdulkader Saleh (Haj Marea)
Saqour al-Sham
Sheikh Ahmed Issa
Ansar al-Islam
Abu Moaz al-Agha
Ahfad al-Rasul
Ziad Haj Obeid
Ghurabaa
Omar Hilal
Democratic Union Party (PYD)
Salih Muslim
Salafist jihadists with a global vision of
an Islamist state. Mainly foreign
leadership, Syrian soldiers. Linked to AlQaeda.
Salafist jihadists with national aims. Cooperate with other groups. Strongest
component of Syrian Islamic Front.
A mixed bunch, ranging from devout to
mild Islamists. Started in Homs, now
nationwide; includes Farouq al-Shamal
in the north. Controls some border
crossings.
Umbrella force in Aleppo, included in the
Syrian Liberation Front. Its leader sits on
the SMC.
Most powerful fighting force in Idleb.
Islamist. Its leader heads the Syrian
Liberation Front
Umbrella for Islamist factions around
Damascus, including powerful Liwa alIslam.
Part of Ansar al-Islam in Damascus,
where it has carried out assassinations;
also has offshoot in Idleb.
Islamist group with growing presence in
Aleppo and Raqqa; works with all other
groups
Syrian offshoot of Turkey’s Kurdistan
Workers’ Paarty (PKK). Neither with the
regime nor with the rebels. Its militias
control Kurdish areas in north-east Syria.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2013/05/daily-chart-1
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
SYRIA IN CRISIS: POLITICAL UPHEAVAL
Timeline of Nationwide Uprising
2011 March - Protests in Damascus and the southern city of Deraa demand the release of political prisoners.
Security forces shoot a number of people dead in Deraa, triggering days of violent unrest that steadily spread
nationwide over the following months. President Assad releases dozens of political prisoners and dismisses the
government, and in April lifts the 48-year-old state of emergency. However, he accuses protesters of being Israeli
agents.
2011 May - Army tanks enter Deraa, Banyas, Homs and suburbs of Damascus in an effort to crush anti-regime
protests.
2011 October - Newly formed Syrian National Council says it has forged a common front of internal and exiled
opposition activists. Russia and China veto UN resolution condemning Syria.
2011 November - Arab League votes to suspend Syria, accusing it of failing to implement an Arab peace plan, and
imposes sanctions. Army defectors target a military base near Damascus in the Free Syrian Army's most highprofile attack since protests began. Government supporters attack foreign embassies.
2012 May - UN Security Council strongly condemns the government's use of heavy weaponry and the militia killing
of more than a hundred civilians in Houla, near Homs. France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada and Australia
expel senior Syrian diplomats in protest.
2012 June - Turkey changes rules of engagement after Syria shoots down a Turkish plane that strayed into its
territory, declaring that if Syrian troops approach Turkey's borders they will be seen as a military threat.
2012 October - Syria-Turkish tension rises when Syrian mortar fire on a Turkish border town kills five civilians.
Turkey returns fire and intercepts a Syrian plane allegedly carrying arms from Russia. Both countries ban each
other's planes from their air space.
2012 November - Israeli military fire on Syrian artillery units after several months of occasional shelling from Syrian
positions across the Golan Heights, the first such return of fire since the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
2012 December - The US joins Britain, France, Turkey and Gulf states in formally recognizing Syria's opposition
National Coalition as "the legitimate representative" of the Syrian people.
2013 May - EU leaders agree not to renew the bloc's arms embargo on Syria, in a step seen as potentially freeing
EU countries to arm the rebels.
2013 August - Rebels and Western governments accuse pro-Assad forces of using chemical weapons in an attack
that killed more than 300 people near Damascus. The Syrian government blames the rebels.
2013 September - UN weapons inspectors conclude that chemical weapons were used in the attack on the Ghouta
area of Damascus in August that killed 300 people, but do not explicitly allocate responsibility for the attack.
2013 October – President Assad allows international inspectors to begin destroying Syria’s chemical weapons on
the basis of a US-Russian agreement.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14703995
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
SYRIA IN CRISIS: POLITICAL UPHEAVAL
New York Times: K/W/L Chart
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/studentactivity/KWL.pdf
Students use a K-W-L graphic organizer to record their thinking before, during and after reading about
the crisis in Syria. To begin, use the “K” or “What I Know” column to make a list of things you already
know about the topic before you read. In the “W” or “What I Want to Know” column, make a list of
questions that occur to you either before you read or while you’re reading. Finally, in the “L” or “What I
Learned” column, make a list of facts you
learned after the unit, including, if possible,
the answers to some of your questions.
New York Times: The Fog of War: Helping Students
Make Sense of Syria (09/11/2012)
Washington Post: Timeline: Unrest in Syria
http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/worl
d/timeline-unrest-in-syria/207/
Two years after the first anti-government
protests, conflict in Syria rages on. See the
major events in the country's tumultuous
uprising.
PBS: Interactive Map: The Battle for Syria
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/for
eign-affairs-defense/battle-forsyria/interactive-map-the-battle-for-syria/
Click on a blue city on the map to learn more
about how the uprising is playing out there.
Red dots represent areas where massacres are
reported to have taken place. Because Syria
has largely barred western journalists from the
country, it is impossible to confirm some
reports and death toll estimates.
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/11/the-fogof-war-helping-students-make-sense-of-syria/
In this lesson, students evaluate firsthand accounts of
the war in Syria and make judgments about the role
President Bashar al-Assad’s government may have
played in stoking long-buried sectarian divisions.
Extension activities allow students to probe more
deeply into the causes of the war; understand efforts
by outside governments to resolve it; and learn how
individuals are trying to make a positive difference.
Background Vocabulary
refugee

heterodox

secular

sectarian

nom de guerre

pluralistic

Common Core Connection
THE DAY AFTER
PBS: Seven Top Classroom Resources for Teaching Syria (09/10/2013)
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/2013/09/5-top-classroom-resources-teaching-syria/
The civil war raging in the Middle Eastern nation of Syria has become a worldwide source of concern
and disagreement. Help your students understand the situation in Syria and what role the U.S. may
play in its future with these resources, including an article, four lesson plans, a resource page and a
cheat sheet.
Al Jazeera: Best of the Web: What to Watch, Explore and Read on Syria
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/america-tonight-blog/2013/9/2/makingsense-of-syria.html
The Syrian crisis can be murky, fast-changing and confusing, so we've pulled together the best online
reads, watches and interactives to help understand the country's growing civil war, and the quest to end
the violence.
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SYRIA IN CRISIS: POLITICAL UPHEAVAL
Washington Post: Nine Questions about Syria
You Were Too Embarrassed to Ask
(08/29/2013)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldvi
ews/wp/2013/08/29/9-questions-about-syriayou-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask/
The United States and allies are preparing for a
possibly imminent series of limited military
strikes against Syria, the first direct U.S.
intervention in the two-year civil war, in
retaliation for President Bashar al-Assad's
suspected use of chemical weapons against
civilians. If you found the above sentence kind of
confusing, or aren't exactly sure why Syria is
fighting a civil war, or even where Syria is
located, then this is the article for you. What's
happening in Syria is really important, but it can
also be confusing and difficult to follow even for
those of us glued to it.
Guide to the Syrian Occupation (09/16/2013)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east15798218
The wide variety of political groups, exiled
dissidents, grassroots activists and armed
militants have been unable to agree on how to
overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. Several
groups, however, have tried to form coalitions
to unite opposition supporters in Syria and gain
international help and recognition. Here is a
guide to some of the most prominent groups.
Questions about Syria
You Were Too Embarrassed to Ask
*What is Syria?
*Why are people in Syria killing each other? That’s
horrible, but there are protests lots of places. How did
it all go so wrong in Syria? And, please, just give me
the short version.
*I hear a lot about how Russia still loves Syria,
though. And Iran, too. What’s their deal?
*This is all feeling really bleak and hopeless. Can we
take a music break?
*Why hasn't the United States fixed this yet?
*So why would Obama bother with strikes that no
one expects to actually solve anything?
*Hi, there was too much text so I skipped to the
bottom to find the big take-away. What’s going to
happen?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/29/9questions-about-syria-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask/
Understanding the Crisis in Syria (12/12/2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoUe97rInRM&feature=youtu.be
Jeffery Weiss, Director of the Catholic Peace Ministry, discusses the history of Syria and the present
leadership that is dealing with a years-old uprising. Part of the DuPont-Pioneer Hi-Bred Iowa
International Center Dialogue Series.
Syria Overview
http://www.usip.org/countries-continents/syria
Amid other upheavals in the Arab world, popularly known as the Arab Spring, protests to the rule of
President Bashar al-Assad started in March 2011. In response, the Assad regime unleashed a campaign
of violence: as of July 2012, as many as 26,700 people are believed to have been killed and up to 1
million Syrians have been displaced within the country.
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Atlantic: Your Labor Day Syria Reader, Part 2: William Polk (09/02/2013)
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/09/your-labor-day-syria-reader-part-2-williampolk/279255/
William R. Polk who first wrote for the Atlantic (about Iraq) during Dwight Eisenhower's administration,
back in 1958, and served on the State Department's Policy Planning staff during the Kennedy years, has
now sent in a detailed analysis about Syria. It is very long, but it is systematically laid out as a series of
13 questions, with answers. If you're in a rush, you could skip ahead to question #7, on the history and
use of chemical weapons. Or #6, about the under-publicized role of drought, crop failure, and climate
change in Syria's predicament.
Frontline: Syria Behind the Lines
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/foreign-affairs-defense/syria-behind-the-lines/the-bombingof-al-bara/?elq=c05fbf8bfd8a4167a0a3e9914d4819a0&elqCampaignId=673
When FRONTLINE filmmaker Olly Lambert sat to interview Jamal Maarouf, a Syrian rebel
commander, he did not anticipate that bombs from government jets would begin to fall just 300
meters away. Though the first blast knocked him to the ground, Lambert kept his camera rolling.
He spent the next hour documenting the impacts of the Oct. 28, 2012 bombing of al-Bara, a village
in Idlib province an hour south of Aleppo.
Frontline: Syria: The Crisis, The Rebels & The Endgame (09/18/2012)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/foreign-affairs-defense/battle-for-syria/syria-the-crisis-therebels-the-endgame/
In this two-part special report, “The Battle for Syria,” and “The Regime Responds,” FRONTLINE
journeys to the heart of the Syrian insurgency, embedding with rebels who are waging a full-scale
assault on Assad’s forces.
NPR: “Who Are the Syrian Rebels?” (09/09/2013)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/09/09/220638228/who-are-the-syrian-rebels
Researchers spent two years exploring social media to create a detailed profile of who the Syrian rebels
are, including their ideologies and the weaponry they use in their fight against Assad's regime.
Interview with Josh Landis, Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies
http://thelightinhereyesmovie.com/resources/interview-josh-landis/
“What we’re seeing throughout the entire region, not just Syria, but Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria is really an
attempt to get beyond this post-colonial order that was left behind by the French and the British. In
order to rule Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, the French and the British empowered minorities and put them
over the majority. This was colonial order. That is being overturned. It’s taking a long time because it’s
a bloody process. Buts it’s being overturned today, we saw it overturned in Iraq where the Shiites took
over from the Sunnis. In Lebanon the Muslims have asserted their authority, it’s not finished yet in
Lebanon, and in Syria it’s only beginning.”
Wall Street Journal: Syria's Alawite Force Turned Tide for Assad: National Defense Force Helped
Regain Territory from Rebels (08/26/2013)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323997004578639903412487708.html
As Syria's civil war drags on, the government-funded, Alawite-manned National Defense Force is
blurring the lines between the Assad regime and sectarian militias.
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SYRIA IN CRISIS: CHEMICAL WEAPONS HISTORY AND DEBATE
NPR: Syria: Damascus Areas of Influence and Areas Reportedly Affected by 21 August Chemical
Attack
http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2013/08/30/08.30.2013-map-accompanying-usg-assessment-onsyria_custom-8975cee93cdba20f69daf35a5883ea42e9cb29e2-s6-c30.png
PBS: Charlie Rose Assad Interview (58:28) (09/09/2013)
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365076639/
Charlie Rose was granted exclusive access to interview Syrian President Bashar al-Assad about the
alleged use of chemical weapons and his response to threat of war from the United States.
The Economist: The Shadow of Ypres: How a Whole Class of Weaponry Came to Be Seen as
Indecent
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21584397-how-whole-class-weaponry-came-be-seenindecent-shadow-ypres
This article includes a timeline on the uses and constraints of chemical
Common Core Connection
weapons since 1900.
THE DAY AFTER
New York Times: Lesson Plan: Chemical Weapons Crisis: Debating the U.S. Response in
Syria
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/chemical-weapons-crisis-debating-the-u-sresponse-in-syria/
In this lesson students will try to answer this most pressing foreign policy question through
research and discussion. Then, students will simulate a Congressional debate and write position
papers or persuasive letters advocating for a particular United States response. Teachers can
decide to do the entire lesson or just individual parts, like the Warm Up activity and the related
reading questions.
Syria Lesson Warm Up - Circle the statements below that you think are valid reasons to justify
the U.S. using military force abroad.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
To protect U.S. business interests abroad, such as U.S.-owned oil refineries or factories
To protect U.S. citizens living or working abroad
To protect foreign civilians who are dying in the thousands or millions
To prevent the future possible use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons
To retaliate for the confirmed use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons
To promote democracy in a country where there is a dictatorship
To increase U.S. trade or boost our economy, such as by keeping the price of oil low
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Foreign Policy Research Institute: Poison Gas in World War I (09/2013)
http://www.fpri.org/articles/2013/09/poison-gas-world-war-i
World War I gave poison gas a sinister reputation from which it has never recovered. Even a century
later we are still dealing with the repercussions of that reputation and the consequences of the
proliferation of gas weapons worldwide.
Foreign Policy Research Institute: Chemical Warfare in Syria: Who and Why (08/27/2013)
http://www.fpri.org/news/2013/08/chemical-warfare-syria-who-and-why
There is a reason to be cautious. Both sides in the Syrian civil war have committed atrocities and both
sides have misrepresented photos and falsified reports. But the burden appears to be on the
government’s side... A former British Army chemical weapons expert...emphasized that it is difficult to
imagine that rebel forces would have the resources to have undertaken a fraudulent staging of the dead
and the wounded.
Independent: Revealed: UK Government let British Company Export Nerve Gas Chemicals to Syria
(09/02/2013)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/revealed-uk-government-let-british-company-exportnerve-gas-chemicals-to-syria-8793642.html
The UK Government was accused of “breathtaking laxity” in its arms controls after it emerged that
officials authorized the export to Syria of two chemicals capable of being used to make a nerve agent
such as sarin a year ago.
NPR: Interview: Syria Agreement Makes For Unstable Alliances (09/21/2013)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=224715921
As Syria delivered its “initial declaration” of chemical weapons, Assad and Putin seemingly became
partners with the U.S., argues Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic.
© Michael Scott
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SYRIA IN CRISIS: CHEMICAL WEAPONS HISTORY AND DEBATE
Intelligence Squared Debate: The U.S. Has No Dog in the Fight in Syria (08/09/2013)
http://intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/past-debates/item/900-the-us-has-no-dog-in-the-fight-insyria
There are certain international crises that on their face demand the immediate and urgent attention of
presidents... But there are other situations where the call may be tougher to make. Bosnia got a
president's attention; Rwanda did not. And what about Syria -- now in the midst of a civil war and
humanitarian crisis of enormous proportions... One thing is certain: Syria is not one of those easy calls.
It's what we're debating in Aspen, when we take on the topic: The U.S. has no dog in the fight in Syria.
WNYC: The Brian Lehrer Show: Representative Jeffries on the Syria Debate (09/06/2013)
http://www.wnyc.org/story/316503-representative-jeffries-syria-debate/
Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. Representative from Brooklyn, discusses the debate in the House over whether
to intervene militarily in Syria and his concerns on its impact on his constituents.
The Guardian: Conflict in Syria UN Lesson Plans (4 of 8 resources)
http://teachers.theguardian.com/teacher-resources/7250/Conflict-in-Syria-UN-lesson-plans-4-of-8resources
While the conflict in Syria rages on, our students have been trying to find their own solution to the
violence. This simple, but powerful project, has three steps: 1. students learn how to ask good questions
about what’s happening in Syria and why; 2. then they learn about the United Nations and put this into
practice in a UN debate to try to find a way out of the conflict; 3. finally they will write to William Hague
MP, to urge him to do whatever they think is the best way forward. (You must be registered to use this
site.)
TED: Were China and Russia Justified in Vetoing the UN Resolution for Syria?
www.ted.com/conversations/9246/were_china_and_russia_justifie.html
Common Core Connection
Host a debate following this TED talk debate
THE DAYAFTER









Given the media blackout surrounding Syria and the dubious fatality statistics, is it fair to
suggest that the proposed resolution was rushed/ambiguous and left open possibilities for
military intervention?
Could it be argued that the U.S. should have been more prepared to negotiate the terms of
the resolution?
By vetoing the resolution, have China and Russia contributed to the continued bloodshed,
or would the implementation of the resolution only have led to further deaths?
At this time, is western intervention in Syria appropriate, given the current climate of civil
war?
Does intervention question the sovereignty of Syrian government?
Is the U.S. using Syria as a platform for an attack/action against Iran?
To what extent would you agree that sanctions proposed by the resolution should not have
concentrated solely on e Bashar al-Assad's government, but rather look at calming both
the militia and armed rebels groups?
To what extent would you agree that the USA government is hiding its true intentions
behind the guise of "human rights"?
Is it fair to draw parallels between Syria and Libya?
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SYRIA IN CRISIS: CHEMICAL WEAPONS HISTORY AND DEBATE
New York Times: Interactive Feature: A Broader Look at the War across Syria
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/08/30/world/middleeast/A-Broader-Look-at-the-WarAcross-Syria.html?ref=syria&_r=0
Western countries have struggled to reach a consensus on a response to the use of chemical weapons in
the suburbs of Damascus on Aug. 21. One reason for disagreement is how an attack could affect the
civil war, which is being fought in different ways across the country.
New York Times: When is the Use of Military Force Justified? (09/10/2013)
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/when-is-the-use-of-military-force-justified/
President Obama has asked the United States Congress for authorization to retaliate against Syria for
using chemical weapons, and Congress is debating the issue this week. The current crisis in Syria raises
the same question we have had to answer many times before: When is the use of military force
appropriate? Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.
PRO-CON Military Action (Critical Thinking Question)
Read the following opinion articles and map out the pros and cons of military action against Assad’s
regime. Use the Problem-Solution Graphic Organizer to records possible solutions, their pros and cons,
and your conclusions on what action should be taken.
Common Core Connection
Problem-Solution Graphic Organizer
THE PROBLEM:
Solution 1:
PROS
THE DAY AFTER
Solution 2:
CONS
PROS
Solution 3:
CONS
PROS
CONS
CONCLUSION:
ARTICLES FOR MILITARY ACTION AGAINST ASSAD’S REGIME
New York Times: The Right Questions on Syria (09/04/2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/05/opinion/kristof-the-right-questions-on-syria.html?_r=1&
Critics of American military action in Syria are right to point out all the risks and uncertainties of missile
strikes, and they have American public opinion on their side. But for those of you who oppose cruise
missile strikes, what alternative do you favor? It’s all very well to urge the United Nations and Arab
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SYRIA IN CRISIS: CHEMICAL WEAPONS HISTORY AND DEBATE
League to do more, but that means that Syrians will continue to be killed at a rate of 5,000 every
month.
Huffington Post: Syria: Time to Act (08/29/2013)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/w-robert-pearson/syria-intervention_b_3837022.html
Co-authored by former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and former U.S. ambassador to Pakistan. The
atrocities must receive a response, and that response must be effective military action against Assad by
the United States. Hitting Syrian armed forces most capable of producing mass casualties among
civilians and the opposition is an action within our capability... Our action should be accompanied with
a clear message of deterrence that repeated chemical weapons use would trigger a larger response.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee: America’s Pro-Israel Lobby
http://www.aipac.org/?gclid=CN7QiujbtLkCFSVxQgod70oAlQ
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee urges Congress to grant the President the authority he
has requested to protect America’s national security interests and dissuade the Syrian regime's further
use of unconventional weapons. The civilized world cannot tolerate the use of these barbaric weapons,
particularly against an innocent civilian population including hundreds of children. Simply put,
barbarism on a mass scale must not be given a free pass.
ARTICLES AGAINST MILITARY ACTION AGAINST ASSAD’S REGIME
Yes! Magazine: Syria: Six Alternatives to Military Strikes (09/05/2013)
http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/syria-six-alternatives-to-military-strikes
Will military strikes help ordinary Syrians or harm them? Will more violence deter the use of chemical
weapons and other war crimes in Syria and elsewhere, or exacerbate the problem? Have all other
possibilities been exhausted, or are there peaceful solutions that haven't been tried?
New York Times: A Plea for Caution From Russia: What Putin Has to Say to Americans About Syria
(09/11/2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-onsyria.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Russian President Putin’s op-ed piece to the New York Times. “Recent events surrounding Syria have
prompted me to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders. It is important to do
so at a time of insufficient communication between our societies.”
Common Dreams: Voices from Damascus: Only 'Peaceful Solution' Can Save Syria: As US
Lawmakers Set to Debate Military Action, a Splintered Damascus Holds its Breath (09/03/2013)
https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/09/03?fb_action_ids=10151962199164050&fb_action_
types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582
“An eventual attack will not favor any of the foreign countries’ interests. It will only bring destruction to
the Syrian people... The situation on the ground is very complex, and we badly need a peaceful
solution.” –Hani Hosam, Syrian in Saida Zainb.
Center for Strategic & International Studies: Choosing the Right Options in Syria (08/26/2013)
http://csis.org/publication/choosing-right-options-syria
The U.S. has hard choices to make in Syria. Even if the U.S. does intervene militarily, the time window
for its best option has already passed. President Obama may have had reason to be cautious and play
King Log to President Bush’s King Stork, but the U.S. did not intervene when the rebels were strongest,
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the Assad regime most fragile, and limited U.S. support to the then dominant moderate rebel factions
might well have pushed Assad out of power without dividing Syria along sectarian and ethnic lines.
Foreign Affairs: A Taboo
Worth Protecting:
Chemical Weapons are
Indiscriminate — And
That's Why They Should
be Outlawed
http://www.foreignaffairs.c
om/articles/139913/sohail-hhashmi-and-jon-western/ataboo-worth-protecting
Among the many
arguments marshaled in
opposition to U.S.
intervention in Syria, a
prominent one is that the
chemical weapons taboo is
not worth saving. Writing in
© Michael Scott
Foreign Affairs last April, the political scientist John Mueller suggested that the world should “erase the
red line,” since chemical weapons generally produce far fewer fatalities than conventional weapons.
Politico: Kentucky Senator Rand Paul: Syria Objective is Stalemate (0:29)
http://www.politico.com/multimedia/video/2013/08/rand-paul-syria-objective-is-stalemate.html
In an interview on Fox News' 'Fox and Friends' with Tucker Carlson, Sen. Rand Paul said he thinks the
Obama administration's only objective in Syria is stalemate.
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SYRIA IN CRISIS: ENVIRONMENTAL UPHEAVAL
Foreign Affairs: More Trouble in the Eastern Mediterranean: U.S. Intervention or Not, the Sea is
Already Boiling (09/03/2013)
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/139900/yuri-m-zhukov/more-trouble-in-the-easternmediterranean?cid=nlc-this_week_on_foreign_affairs-090513-more_trouble_in_the_eastern_me_4090513&sp_mid=42509875&sp_rid=dG5laWdoYm9yQHdvcmxkLWFmZmFpcnMub3JnS0
Common Core Connection
THE DAY AFTER
Critical Thinking Question:
To what effect has the climate
change caused social unrest in
Syria?
So far, public debate about the intervention in Syria has centered on the
immediate scope and aims of any U.S.-led military operation, and whether
the U.S. Congress should be involved. But no matter how the possible
intervention and its aftermath play out, one thing is certain: the eastern
Mediterranean —where exploratory drilling has unearthed vast reserves of
natural gas, and where competition over the rights to tap those resources
is already fierce— will become less stable.
New York Times: Without Water, Revolution (05/18/2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/opinion/sunday/friedman-without-waterrevolution.html?pagewanted=all
“The drought did not cause Syria’s civil war,” said the Syrian economist Samir Aita, but, he added, the
failure of the government to respond to the drought played a huge role in fueling the uprising."
UNICEF: Running Dry: Water and Sanitation Crisis Threatens Syrian Children (02/2013)
http://www.unicef.org/mena/Syria_Crisis_WASH-Syria-Feb-2013-En.pdf
As the crisis in Syria enters its third year, access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene continues to
deteriorate, threatening the health of much of the population.
Smithsonian: Is the Lack of Water to Blame for the Conflict in Syria? (06/2013)
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Is-a-Lack-of-Water-to-Blame-for-the-Conflict-inSyria-208345431.html
Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) measured groundwater usage between 2003 and
2009 and found that the Tigris-Euphrates Basin—comprising Turkey, Syria, Iraq and western Iran—is
losing water faster than any other place in the world except northern India... A 2006 drought pushed
Syrian farmers to migrate to urban centers, setting the stage for massive uprisings.
The Center for Climate and Security: Syria: Climate Change, Drought and Social Unrest
(02/29/2012)
http://climateandsecurity.org/2012/02/29/syria-climate-change-drought-and-social-unrest/
Syria’s current social unrest is, in the most direct sense, a reaction to a brutal and out-of-touch regime
and a response to the political wave of change that began in Tunisia early last year. However, that’s not
the whole story. The past few years have seen a number of significant social, economic, environmental
and climatic changes in Syria that have eroded the social contract between citizen and government in
the country, have strengthened the case for the opposition movement, and irreparably damaged the
legitimacy of the al-Assad regime.
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The Syrian Civil War Imperils Country’s Archaeological
Heritage (04/10/13)
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/syrian-civilwar-imperils-countrys-archaeological-heritage/
In “Grave Robbers and War Steal Syria’s History,” C. J.
Chivers writes about how the Syrian civil war is imperiling
the country’s archaeological heritage. While reporting on
Syria’s civil war he traveled on a road between Damascus
and Aleppo to cover a battle between rebels seeking to
depose President Bashar Al Assad and Syria’s Army. There
are several ancient ruins along the way.
Watch the video and read the article to
answer these basic news questions.
WHAT are the Ebla tablets?
WHERE is Ebla?
HOW are Syria’s ancient ruins and
fortresses being used for modern
military purposes in the current civil
war?
New York Times: Grave Robbers and War Steal Syria’s
WHO is Cheikhmous Ali?
History (4/7/13)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/world/middleeast/syria
WHEN was Ebla first settled?
n-war-devastates-ancient-sites.html?pagewanted=all
Across much of Syria, the country’s archaeological heritage
WHY are thieves attracted to Syria’s
is imperiled by war, facing threats ranging from outright
ancient grave sites?
destruction by bombs and bullets to opportunistic digging
by treasure hunters who take advantage of the power
vacuum to prowl the country with spades and shovels.
Fighting has raged around the Roman ruins of Palmyra, the ancient city in central Syria, once known as
the Bride of the Desert. And the Syrian Army has established active garrisons at some of the country’s
most treasured and antiquated citadels, including castles at Aleppo, Hama and Homs.
See the Arts and Culture section for
articles related to ancient treasures
impacted by the present conflict.
New York Times: Syrian Conflict
Imperils Historical Treasures
(08/15/2012)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/
arts/design/syrian-conflict-imperilshistorical-treasures.html
LIVESCIENCE: Syria's Rich
Archaeological Treasures Imperiled
by Civil War (09/03/2013)
http://www.livescience.com/39381syria-archaeology-at-risk.html
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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
http://syriahr.com/en/
We are a group of people who believe in Human Rights, from inside and outside the country, observing
the Human Rights situation in Syria, documenting and criticizing all Human Rights violations, filing
reports and spreading it across a broad Human Rights and Media range.
New York Times: Rushing to Aid in Syrian War, but Claiming
No Side (06/03/2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/03/world/middleeast/syrianred-crescent-volunteers-sidestep-abattle.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0
Anne Barnard writes about volunteers who work for the Red
Crescent in Syria.
…You save one soul, you see the smile of one child, it gives you
power for months,” said Mohammed, who has lived at the
headquarters since his family fled a bombarded suburb.
“I started to love the country,” Raghad added. “Many of us started
to feel that we really belong.”
Yet their outlook is also dark. They debate whether rebels will
“take revenge” on Damascus for not rising up sooner; Hamza says
yes, Mohammed no. They worry that rebel sleeper cells will fight
newly armed government militias, and that if rebels enter the city,
the government will shell it…
Read the article to answer these
basic news questions.
WHAT is the Red Crescent?
HOW many volunteers have been
killed, by both sides, while aiding
the wounded or delivering relief
supplies?
WHY does the Red Crescent have
an incentive to claim neutrality?
WHO is Bashar al-Assad?
WHEN do you think the Syrian
civil war might end?
WHERE else have you seen, or
heard about, volunteers from the
Red Cross or Red Crescent helping
people during disasters?
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/claiming-
neutrality-red-crescent-volunteers-rush-to-care-for-syriasUN OCHA: Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian Dashboard
injured/
(07/11/2013)
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/syria.pdf
Situation Overview and Key Figures about People in Need and Funding in Syria.
UN OCHA: Humanitarian Map
http://syria.unocha.org/maps
Show/hide layers pertaining to clash areas, population movement, refugees, UN humanitarian
presence, and people in need of assistance.
New York Times: Watching Syria’s War
http://projects.nytimes.com/watching-syrias-war
The New York Times is tracking the human toll of the conflict in this feature. The primary source is the
online video that has allowed a widening war to be documented like no other, and posts try to put the
video into context.
Reuters: Syria War Imperils Education of 2.5 Million Children: Aid Agency (07/11/2013)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/11/us-syria-crisis-children-idUSBRE96A14G20130711
More than a fifth of Syria's schools have been destroyed or made unusable in more than two years of
conflict, jeopardizing the education of 2.5 million young people, Save the Children aid agency reported
on Friday. The civil war in Syria has contributed to a sharp increase over the past year in the number of
violent incidents affecting children's education reported worldwide, the agency said.
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Washington Post: Syria’s Education Crisis, in Three Charts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/03/05/syrias-education-crisis-in-threecharts/
The United Nations Children's Fund estimates that some Syrian children have missed out on as much as
two years of education in the midst of their country's ongoing civil struggle... “Syria once prided itself
on the quality of its schools. Now it’s seeing the gains it made over the years rapidly reversed.”
World Vision: FAQS: War in Syria, Children, and the Refugee Crisis (08/27/2013)
http://www.worldvision.org/news-stories-videos/faqs-war-syria-children-and-refugee-crisis
Read our overview of the conflict in Syria, the refugee situation in Lebanon, and World Vision’s
response to the crisis. One million Syrian children have fled war in their homeland, the United Nations
says. As the total number of Syrian refugees exceeds 2 million, here's background on the growing
humanitarian crisis. (1:58)
BBC: Zaatari Refugee Camp: Rebuilding Lives in the Desert (09/03/2013)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23801200
Two million people have fled over Syria's borders to escape the bloody internal battle engulfing the
country, the latest UN figures show. One million of them are children. Many of those forced to leave
their homes have taken refuge in neighbouring countries, but 130,000 of them are now living in a threesquare-mile piece of the desolate Jordanian desert— home to the sprawling Zaatari refugee camp. Take
a tour of Zaatari camp in an interactive map, photographs, and video.
UNICEF: In Syria, a Glimpse into the Everyday Dangers Faced by Humanitarian Workers
(08/28/2013)
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/syria_70158.html
UNICEF commemorates World Humanitarian Day by recognizing all humanitarians who have lost their
lives in the course of their work, and those who continue to serve.
TEDTALK: Janine di Giovanni: What I Saw in the War (01/22/2013)
http://www.ted.com/talks/janine_di_giovanni_what_i_saw_in_the_war.html
Reporter Janine di Giovanni has been to the worst places on Earth to bring back stories from Bosnia,
Sierra Leone and most recently Syria. She tells stories of human moments within large conflicts -- and
explores that shocking transition when a familiar city street becomes a bombed-out battleground.
Janine di Giovanni reports from war zones around the world. (11:50)
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Common Core Connection
THE DAYAFTER
New York Times: Found and Headline Poem Activity
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/blogs/learning/pdf/2010/NCTEarticle.pdf
Read the following profiles of individuals directly affected by the Syrian crisis. Choose one from which
to create a found poem. Found poetry can be defined as “poems that are composed from words and
phrases found in another text”. Read the following link for additional information on creating found
poetry from headlines and articles.
New York Times: Op-Ed: Fawzia’s Choice (08/18/13)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/19/opinion/kristof-fawzias-choice.html?smid=fb-share&_r=1&
Those Americans who count themselves as “war-weary” should meet Fawzia, a middle-aged woman
who made perhaps the most difficult decision any parent can. Fawzia was among the refugees
straggling across the Syria-Jordan border. The real weapons of mass destruction in Syria are the AK47s, rockets, missiles and bombs. An agreement brokered by the world’s powers that is limited to
chemical weapons — while useful — seems a bit irrelevant to the atrocities that define the lives of most
Syrians.
UNICEF: Syrian Field Diary: Child Witnesses to Death and Bloodshed
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/syria_69922.html
A humanitarian worker returns to Damascus after a year to find a situation of desperate suffering.
UNICEF: Displaced from Her Home in Homs, Amanda Enjoys Art & Sport Activities (09/09/2013)
http://childrenofsyria.info/2013/09/09/displaced-from-her-home-in-homs-amanda-enjoys-art-sportactivities/
Amanda, 7, eats popcorn from a paper cone as she takes a break from an activities programme for
displaced children in eastern Tartous governorate. With its rolling hills, terraces and olive trees, the area
is reminiscent of Italy. It is a world away from the conflict in Homs that Amanda and her family fled two
years ago. Around 4,000 displaced families are believed to be living in this part of Tartous, with most
living in the host community.
Al Jazeera: Why I Fight for a Free Syria (09/05/2013)
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/9/5/why-i-fight-for-afreesyria.html
The following op-art is based on an interview with a Free Syrian Army fighter, Mohammed, conducted
by Fotini Christia on the Turkish-Syrian border. The art work is by Thalia Chantziara. At a time when the
press is replete with references to the prominent foreign jihadi presence in Syria, Mohammed reminds
us of the human face of the Free Syrian Army and its fighters, who don't want to see their revolution
hijacked by extremists or obliterated by the Assad regime.
Syria Deeply: Kicking Soccer Balls While Militias Shoot Kalashnikovs (07/15/2013)
http://beta.syriadeeply.org/2013/07/kicking-soccer-balls-militias-shoot-kalashnikovs/#.Ui9rz8ako-M
Nour and his fellow Syrians have been playing soccer, the universal sport, as long as they can
remember. They never imagined they would be exiled to a sandy field in Lebanon, scoring goals to the
sound of gunfire. But when you’re a Syrian refugee, skills don’t always translate to earnings.
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New York Times: For a Night, Iraqis Root for the Home Team, and the Visitors (03/28/2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/world/middleeast/for-a-night-at-least-soccer-unites-iraqis-andsyrians.html
Iraq’s national soccer team played Syria on the greenest patch of grass in Baghdad the other night,
under bright lights that mostly stayed lighted, before tens of thousands of Iraqis cheering on their own
and the Syrians, too...“Iraq was also subject to terrorism,” said one of the men, Yasir Dandah, 19,
referring to the Syrian government’s portrayal of the uprising against Mr. Assad as a wave of terrorism.
“That is why they are sympathetic to us.”
New York Times: Countries Agree to Special Quotas for Syrian Refugees (10/1/2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/world/europe/special-quotas-for-syrian-refugees.html
At least 15 countries have agreed to set up special quotas for fugitives fleeing Syria’s civil war, marking
a shift in international thinking about how to deal with the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis, the head
of the United Nations refugee agency said Tuesday.
Washington Post: UN: Syria Refugee Crisis Threatens Economic Development throughout Entire
Region (09/30/2013)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/un-syria-refugee-crisis-threatens-economic-developmentthrough-entire-region/2013/09/30/9cf98a86-29cc-11e3-b141-298f46539716_story.html
The exodus of Syrians from their country threatens economic development throughout the Middle East
because neighboring nations cannot cope with the influx of refugees, a top U.N. official said Monday. A
U.S. diplomat, meanwhile, called for an action plan to deal with the extraordinary refugee crisis.
© Michael Scott
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Interactive Connecting Syria’s Allies and Enemies (08/31/2013)
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2013/08/201383111193558894.html
An interactive look at the political and military positions for and against military intervention in Syria.
New York Times: Strife and Power in the New Middle East, Projecting Power: Iran, Saudi Arabia
and the United States
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/07/23/weekinreview/20060723_MIDEAST_GRAPHIC.jpg
RUSSIA
Interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin (09/04/2013)
http://rt.com/news/putin-syria-interview-ap-387/
Speaking to journalists from Russia’s state Channel 1 television and Associated Press, Russian President
Vladimir Putin made a number of decisive statements regarding the supposed use of chemical weapons
in the Syrian conflict, which evoked a threat of a US-led strike on Syria. Includes a script of the
interview. (10:33)
PBS: What Issues Have Stopped the U.S. and Russia From Seeing Eye to Eye on Syria? (09/12/2013)
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/july-dec13/syria2_09-12.html
The U.S. and Russia have been at loggerheads for years over Syria. What makes the countries seem
more willing to work on a solution together now? Judy Woodruff gets debate from Angela Stent of
Georgetown University and Andranik Migranyan of the Institute for Democracy and Cooperation. (8:42)
Foreign Affairs: Putin Scores on Syria: How He Got the Upper Hand -- And How He Will Use It
(09/11/2013)
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/139905/fiona-hill/putin-scores-on-syria
On Monday, September 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin... seized the most dramatic moment
possible— the eve of what was to be a fateful vote in the U.S. Congress on Obama’s decision to launch a
targeted strike against Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad— to propose that Syria surrender its chemical
weapons to an international commission headed by the United Nations. Assad quickly agreed to the
proposal, at least in principle.
The Real Reason Putin Supports Assad: Mistaking Syria for Chechnya (03/25/2013)
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/139079/fiona-hill/the-real-reason-putin-supports-assad
Although the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, reached out recently to the leaders of the Syrian
opposition, these talks produced no indication that the Kremlin is seriously recalibrating its positions on
Syria. And that’s hardly surprising: the main obstacle to any shift in Russia’s calculations is President
Vladimir Putin himself, whose aversion to forcible regime change is intense and unwavering.
CHINA
Center for Strategic and International Studies: China and the Gulf
https://csis.org/files/attachments/130426_Summary_JohnsonAlterman.pdf
China is becoming more consequential in the Middle East even when it does not want to be... while
Middle Eastern countries hope to draw China more into the region to balance against the United States,
China’s capacity and desire to play a greater role in the region are limited.
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ISRAEL
Human Rights First: Arming Assad’s Regime Against its Own People
http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/Syria-Russia-US-enablers-map1.jpg
Map of the relationship between Syria, the U.S., and Russia.
New York Times: Syria Accuses Israel of Powerful Air Assault (05/07/2013)
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/07/syria-accuses-israel-of-powerful-air-assault/
In “Syria Blames Israel for Fiery Attack in Damascus,” Anne Barnard writes about a new development in
the ongoing Syrian civil war.
The Economist: The Devil You Know or the Devil You Don’t? (08/30/2013)
http://www.economist.com/blogs/pomegranate/2013/08/israel-and-syria
The fear is that in the event of an American strike on Syria, Bashar Assad’s regime could respond by
attacking Israel. “Assad hasn’t the reach to hit America or Europe, so he’ll hit Israel instead,” says Eli
Maoz, a senior Israeli reserve officer and budding local politician in the Golan.
Time: Brief History of the Golan Heights
http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1845638,00.html
The history of the rocky, Los Angeles-sized plateau, strategically nestled between Lebanon, Syria,
Israel and Jordan, traces back to biblical times. The Golan Heights changed hands incessantly...
BBC: Golan Heights Profile
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14724842
Syria wants to secure the return of the Golan Heights as part of any peace deal...The US administration
of President Barack Obama declared the restarting of talks between Israel and Syria to be one of its
main foreign policy goals, but the advent of civil war in Syria in 2011 put paid to any progress. Syrian
fighting reached the Golan ceasefire lines in 2013, when Israel returned fire after rebel shells landed in
Golan.
Foreign Policy Research Institute: Israel’s Reshuffled Strategic Deck
http://www.fpri.org/articles/2013/08/israels-reshuffled-strategic-deck
In 2012, amid the ongoing ferment of the so-called “Arab Spring,” officials throughout the Israeli
government were expressing deep concern about their country's strategic position, and the potential
for conflict on a multitude of fronts. Today, by contrast, Israel's security establishment can best be
described as cautiously optimistic about its geopolitical situation, and with good reason.
Mondoweiss: Kerry’s Rationale to Attack Syria Could Have Also Justified Attack on Israel over Gaza
(09/03/2013)
http://mondoweiss.net/2013/09/kerrys-rationale-to-attack-syria-could-have-also-justified-attack-onisrael-over-gaza.html
On August 26, 2013, Secretary of State John Kerry made the case for military action against Syria. A
few days later, he made an even stronger statement, followed by his boss, President Obama, who is
asking Congress to approve his authority to use force. Apparently this resolution will be binding if it
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passes, and only advisory if it does not. There are many excellent reasons to oppose military action
already discussed on Mondoweiss.
New York Times: Some Syria Missiles Eluded Israeli Strike, Officials Say (07/31/2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/01/world/middleeast/syrian-missiles-were-moved-before-israelistrike-officials-say.html
American intelligence analysts have concluded that a recent Israeli airstrike on a warehouse in Syria did
not succeed in destroying all of the Russian-made antiship cruise missiles that were its target, American
officials said on Wednesday, and that further Israeli strikes are likely.
IRAN
Economist: Reading Syria from Tehran (09/04/2013)
http://www.economist.com/blogs/pomegranate/2013/09/iran-s-foreign-policy
The chemical attack on a suburb of the Syrian capital, Damascus, which left more than 1,400 people
dead on August 21st, has put Iran’s new president in a particularly tricky position, barely a month into
the job. Hassan Rohani, who was elected partly on the basis that he might persuade America to remove
the crippling sanctions it has imposed on the Iranian economy, now faces the prospect of getting
dragged into a war with his negotiating partner.
Foreign Affairs: The Iran Fallacy: Seeing Damascus, Thinking Tehran (09/11/2013)
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/139918/suzanne-maloney/the-iran-fallacy
Iran looms large in the debate over how to respond to the August 21 chemical weapons attack in Syria
that killed hundreds of civilians. For proponents of a muscular American response, strikes would be as
much about deterring Iran as about punishing the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Foreign Policy Magazine: What Is Iran Doing in Syria? (09/21/2012)
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/09/21/what_is_iran_doing_in_syria
In recent months, however, there has been a shift in Iranian statements. Regime officials have been
increasingly categorical in their admissions of Iran's military presence in Syria, while simultaneously
maintaining some ambiguity about the nature of its intervention.
New York Times: In Wake of Syria Deal, Kerry Emphasizes Iran (09/15/2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/16/world/middleeast/kerry-seeks-allies-support-on-syria-and-1ststop-is-israel.html?_r=0
In a whirlwind trip to allied capitals, Secretary of State John Kerry sought to send the message that the
agreement struck Saturday to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons did not signal a weakening of the
Obama administration’s stance on Iran.
TURKEY
Middle East Institute: The Kurdish Dimension to Turkey’s Syria Policy (04/11/2013)
http://www.mei.edu/content/kurdish-dimension-turkeys-syria-policy
As escalating numbers of Syrians flee across the Turkish border to escape President Bashar al-Assad's
brutality, Turkey is stepping up diplomatic efforts to exert increased international pressure on the
regime. While the international community is inclined to give Assad more time to implement Kofi
Annan's peace plan, Turkey feels that the urgency of the situation demands immediate action.
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Today’s Zaman: Chemical Weapons-Free Syria Good for Turkey (09/13/2013)
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnistDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=326315
Turkey's welcoming of a Russian proposal for Syria to cede its chemical weapons stockpile -- despite
words of caution that this could be a tactical move by President Bashar al-Assad to buy more time for
his beleaguered rule — reflects a deep worry in the minds of the Turkish leadership on possible chemical
attacks targeting Turkish cities and towns.
Bloomberg News: Kurdish Battles in Syria Raise Turkish Fears (09/03/2013)
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-02/kurdish-battles-in-syria-raise-turkish-fear-of-newautonomy-push.html
Seyfettin Ibek, a Turkish Kurd living on the border with Syria, is daring to dream again.
The 50-year-old is hoping the toppling of President Bashar al-Assad will help add to the gains his people
have made in recent years. Kurds, among the largest ethnic groups without a state, control energy-rich
northern Iraq while in Turkey they’re in talks with the government to widen rights and end fighting by
the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK.
Op-Ed: Hatay, Gezi, Syria and the Anatomy of a Multi-Catastrophic War (09/14/2013)
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hatay-gezi-syria-and-the-anatomy-of-a-multi-catastrophicwar.aspx?pageID=449&nID=54426&NewsCatID=470
Nonetheless, it would be a half-drawn picture if the unease among the Alawite community of Turkey is
not mentioned due to the fate of their kin and al-Assad amid an ongoing war and now less-likely
international intervention. Irked by Syrian refugees, who they see as the “deadly foe of their kin on the
other side of the border,” Turkey’s Alawites are concerned about what would happen to them if their
kin in Syria are wiped out after al-Assad’s possible fall.
Turkish News: UN Rebukes Turkey over Return of Syrian Refugees (03/20/2013)
http://www.turkishnews.com/en/content/2013/03/30/un-rebukes-turkey-over-return-of-syrianrefugees/
The UN refugee agency criticized Turkey for sending home at least 130 Syrians without its scrutiny and
urged it to investigate the riot which sparked the departures that some witnesses said were forced.
Turkey denied it had rounded up and deported hundreds of Syrian refugees following unrest at the
Suleymansah border camp, highlighting the strain the exodus from Syria’s civil war is placing on
neighboring states.
Syrian Refugees in Turkey Want U.S. Strikes, Turks Are Wary (09/11/2013)
http://www.npr.org/2013/09/11/221277853/syrian-refugees-in-turkey-want-u-s-strikes-turks-are-wary
Along the Turkey-Syria border, talk of international military action is further stressing Turkish towns
where Syrian mortars continue to kill civilians on the Turkish side, and refugee Syrians are lining up on
the Syrian side of the border, waiting to enter Turkey.
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Hurriyet Daily News: Number of Syrian Refugees in Turkey Passes 500,000 Mark: Foreign Ministry
(09/04/2013)
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/number-of-syrian-refugees-in-turkey-passes-500000-mark-foreignministry.aspx?pageID=238&nid=53868
The total number of Syrian refugees who have entered Turkey since the start of the conflict in Syria has
climbed to over 500,000, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said... The Foreign Ministry also said that 45,000
Syrian students were going to school in Turkey according to official data.
Policy Mic: 400,000 Syrian Refugees in Turkey Cannot Be Ignored by the U.S.
http://www.policymic.com/articles/56339/400-000-syrian-refugees-in-turkey-cannot-be-ignored-bythe-u-s
The Turkish government is not very popular these days. Certainly not in the West. However, they are
doing a great service by letting so many Syrian refugees into their country and the West needs to
recognize that. Not only should they recognize the service that Turkey is doing, but they should help
out with relief funding.
Articles by:
Cengiz Çandar, Workshop Speaker
Al Monitor: Impressions from Turkey’s Syrian Frontier (09/23/2013)
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/09/turkey-syria-border.html
The question is will Turkey accept or be able to accept that Syria will never again be a “unitary,
monolithic structure”? If not, can Turkey adopt a perceptible attitude against groups such as al-Nusra
and ISIS? Can Turkey put an end to its image of having assisted these groups against the Kurds?
Al Monitor: Turkey’s Syria Predicament (02/17/2013)
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/02/turkey-davutoglu-syria-appeal-securitycouncil.html
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in a joint press conference with the Greek Foreign Minister
Dimitris Avramopoulos lambasted the European Union, United Nations and the international
community, which means the United States and Europe. It was all about Syria.
Al Monitor: Is Syria War Additional Spark to Alevi Protests in Turkey? (09/16/2013)
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/09/turkish-alevis-protest-syria-war.html
Unless appropriate measures are taken and an exit is found quickly, Turkey is going to be facing
developments that will be at least as formidable to handle as its Kurdish issue. The almost
instantaneous spillover of incidents at Ankara’s Middle East Technical University to Antakya [historical
city of Antioch] near the Syrian border, the death of 23-year-old Ahmet Arikan on Sept. 9 in Antakya in
obscure circumstances that may or not involve the police and the immediate, instant eruption of
protests in Istanbul are all signals that the Alevis are heading to the streets.
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THE WEST
Atlantic: The Roots of Muslim Rage: Why so Many Muslims Deeply Resent the West, and Why
Their Bitterness Will Not Easily Be Mollified (09/01/1990)
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1990/09/the-roots-of-muslim-rage/304643/
Bernard Lewis is a professor emeritus at Princeton University, in Near Eastern Studies, who has
published numerous books on the Middle East. “We must strive to achieve a better appreciation of
other religious and political cultures, through the study of their history, their literature, and their
achievements. At the same time, we may hope that they will try to achieve a better understanding of
ours, and especially that they will understand and respect, even if they do not choose to adopt for
themselves, our Western perception of the proper
relationship between religion and politics.”
Summary of the H.R. 1828 (108th): Syria
Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty
Atlantic: Islam and Liberal Democracy
Restoration Act of 2003
(05/11/2011)
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/108/hr1828
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1993
This bill was passed by the U.S. House of
/02/islam-and-liberal-democracy/308509/
Representatives in 2003 to halt Syrian support for
Is Islam by its very nature antithetical to the
terrorism, end its occupation of Lebanon, stop its
development of democratic institutions? A
development of weapons of mass destruction,
distinguished historian contemplates this difficult
cease its illegal importation of Iraqi oil and illegal
question, one whose answer is fraught with
shipments of weapons and other military items to
consequence for several troubled regions of the
Iraq, and by so doing hold Syria accountable for the
world.
serious international security problems it has
caused in the Middle East, and for other purposes.
New York Times: Worries Mount as Syria Lures
West’s Muslims (07/27/2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/world/middleeast/worries-mount-as-syria-lures-westsmuslims.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
A rising number of radicalized young Muslims with Western passports are traveling to Syria to fight
with the rebels against the government of Bashar al-Assad, raising fears among American and
European intelligence officials of a new terrorist threat when the fighters return home.
THE U.S.
PBS: Syrian-Americans Live With Pain, Worry for Family and Homeland (09/10/2013)
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/july-dec13/voices_09-10.html
Syrian-Americans have watched the harrowing effects of the civil war from far away, and grappled with
feelings of heartbreak and futility for their families and their homeland. Three Syrian-Americans share
their experiences. (3:40)
Hoover Institution: Obama is Lost in the Mideast Bazaar (09/12/2013)
http://www.hoover.org/news/daily-report/156521
There is a trick in the great labyrinthine bazaars of the Middle East: petty hucksters luring the
vacationing franjis into the market maze and then getting paid to lead them out. As dusk looms, the
unnerved outsider is always glad to be steered to familiar surroundings. In the matter of Syria, and
America's staggeringly inept diplomacy, Vladimir Putin is the clever trickster who has seized upon an
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SYRIA IN CRISIS: RELATIONS WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES
unsuspecting prey. The Russian strongman now proposes a way out for an American leader desperately
searching for deliverance.
© Michael Scott
Hoover Institution: U.S. Interests in Syria, Past, and Present
http://www.hoover.org/related-materials/144801
By imposing democracy, the United States enabled Iraq’s Shiite majority to gain power, only to find
that even the so-called moderates among them demonstrated little appetite for combating terrorists
from their own branch of Islam. Some of Iraq’s Shiite terrorists are now practicing their craft in other
countries—including Syria.
Three Syrian-Americans Reflect On the War (09/09/2013)
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/09/three-syrian-americans-face-the-reality-in-syria.html
As President Barack Obama continues to make his case for a U.S. military strike against Syria, a wide
majority of Americans oppose U.S. intervention. A recent Pew Research Center/USA TODAY Poll finds
that most Americans —63 percent—say they are against U.S. military airstrikes targeted at the Bashar
al-Assad regime for its reported use of chemical weapons against civilians. The PBS NewsHour reached
out to Syrian-Americans to get their perspective. (8:06)
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
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MIDEAST NEWS SOURCES
Islamopedia: Islam & the Media with Ali Asani and Michael Paulson (05/19/2011)
http://www.islamopediaonline.org/video/islam-media-ali-asani-and-michael-paulson
Islamopedia Online presents an installment of Islam & the Media, a series of conversations between
scholars and journalists aimed at improving coverage of Islam. In this installment, Professor Ali Asani
and Boston Globe City Editor Michael Paulson discuss the various challenges and lessons of covering
Islam in the United States. (41.54 minutes)
TeachMidEast.org: The Media and the Middle East
http://www.teachmideast.org/essays/26-stereotypes/49-the-media-and-the-middle-east
How do we know what we know about the Middle East? Much of our
information comes from the news media and the entertainment industry.
Media Literacy Lessons
Developing awareness of how the media shapes our points of view is critical to
Building Multiple
developing a more complex and nuanced understanding of the Middle East,
Perspectives
Islam and Muslims.
Towards Digital Media Literacy in the Arab World (05/30/2013)
http://www.yourmiddleeast.com/features/towards-digital-media-literacy-inthe-arab-world_15452
In an attempt to reduce dependence on western sources, a new happening
under the umbrella of the American University of Beirut aims to make a big
change in the regional discourse on media literacy.
Challenges to Reporting on Islam
http://cmes.hmdc.harvard.edu/files/Diane%20Moore%20piece_FINAL_2_1.pdf
Tips and Resources for Journalists.
http://gng.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/01/GCA_Educa
torHandbook_Module2b.pdf?f22064
Learning About Satire
Through Fake News
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/te
achers/lessons/20040719monday.ht
ml
*Look to The Onion as a
supplement
http://www.theonion.com
Atlantic: The Press and the Syria Debate: Neither Neutral Nor Balanced (09/2013)
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/09/the-press-and-the-syria-debate-neither-neutralnorbalanced/279256/?fb_action_ids=10151961906304050&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggre
gation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582
Syria coverage in America's newspapers is the latest example of purportedly neutral, "objective" press
coverage that's bursting with contestable assumptions, often without the reporters and editors
involved quite realizing their biases. The core news: President Obama asked Congress to vote on
intervening in Syria. The way it's being framed in accounts billed as straight news?
Truthout: How Intelligence Was Twisted to Support an Attack on Syria (09/03/2013)
http://truth-out.org/news/item/18559-how-intelligence-was-twisted-to-support-an-attack-on-syria
The summary cites signals, geospatial and human source intelligence that purportedly show that the
Syrian government prepared, carried out and "confirmed" a chemical weapons attack on August 21. But
a careful examination of those claims reveals a series of convolutedly worded characterizations of the
intelligence that don't really mean what they appear to say at first glance.
Pew Research Center: How Al Jazeera America Tackled the Crisis over Syria (09/16/2013)
http://www.journalism.org/commentary_backgrounder/crisis_over_syria_how_al_jazeera_america_tac
kled_its_first_major_story
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
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MIDEAST NEWS SOURCES
In its coverage of the Syrian crisis, the fledgling Al Jazeera America cable news channel provided
viewers with content that often resembled what Americans saw on other U.S. cable news outlets,
according to a new study by the Pew Research Center.
INTERPRETING VISUAL MEDIA
Common Core Connection
THE DAY AFTER
Cartoon Analysis Worksheet
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/w
orksheets/cartoon_analysis_worksheet.pdf
Students work through three levels of
observation and analysis to arrive at the
message of a political cartoon. Designed and
developed by the Education Staff, National
Archives and Records Administration,
Washington, DC.
The Guardian: Don’t Just Sit There- Degrade
Something (2012)
http://www.theguardian.com/world/middle-eastlive/2013/sep/04/syria-crisis-putin-warns-west-live
Any reuse on any of the cartoons on this site needs
clearance in writing, so please write to [email protected]. Non-commercial re-uses will not
generally incur a fee, but permission should be sought nonetheless.
Global Voices: Artists Capture a Bloody Ramadan in Syria (07/16/2013)
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/07/16/ramadan-is-not-so-kind-to-syrians/
Mubarak (blessed), kareem (generous) or peaceful, are the usual words that come to mind during
Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting when families and communities joyfully come together to pray
and break their daily fasts.But for artists depicting the holy month in Syria – blood, violence and
helplessness are the only words that seem to fit. Since protests first began in March 2011 during the
Arab Spring, Ramadan in Syria has not been mubarak, or kareem, and especially not peaceful.
Cartoon Movement: Arab Uprisings through the Eyes of Cartoonists (09/19/2013)
http://blog.cartoonmovement.com/2013/09/arab-uprisings-through-the-eyes-of-cartoonists.html
UK's Channel 4 has broadcasted a report on the Arab uprisings and the role of cartoonists, featuring an
interview with Khalid Albaih, and also showing the work of Doaa Eladl.
Photo Gallery of International Response to Syria
http://www.politico.com/gallery/2013/08/international-response-to-syria/001266-017927.html
As Western leaders discuss a possible response to last week's alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria,
countries are issuing public statements on how the international community should move. Here's a look
at what they're saying, as of midday, Aug. 29.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
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MIDEAST NEWS SOURCES
"There are two things in this life
that cannot be crushed, the will
of God and the will of the
people."
Ali Ferzat
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/aug/25/ac
tivist-syrian-gunmen-snatch-beat-up-cartoonist/
The Guardian: Ali Ferzat,
Cartoonist in Exile (08/19/2013)
http://www.theguardian.com/world
/2013/aug/19/ali-ferzat-cartoonistexile-syria
The 62-year-old Syrian artist is now
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24047982
living in Kuwait after being
attacked for drawing satirical cartoons of President Bashar
al-Assad. His work is on display at a gallery in London this month.
The Guardian: Syrian Cartoonist Ali Ferzat: They Broke My Hands to Stop Me Drawing Assad
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2012/jun/21/drawing-syria-revolution-ali-farzatvideo
Ali Ferzat founded in 2001 Syria's first satirical weekly, Ad Domari. In August 2011, he was attacked by
Bashar al-Assad's militia who broke his hands. The incident prompted international condemnation of
the Assad regime. Ferzat was awarded the European parliament Sakharov prize for freedom of
thought.
BBC: Pen v Sword: Syrian Cartoonist Ali Ferzat on Challenging the Assad Regime
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24047982
Provocative artworks by a Syrian political cartoonist have gone on display in London.
Without Words, an exhibition organized by the Mosaic charity, features the work of Ali Ferzat.
Ali Ferzat: Political Cartoons of an Arab Master
http://creativesyria.com/farzat.htm
Although the cartoons of Ali Ferzat above all address local issues, their visual vocabulary makes them
universally appealing and relevant.
SYRIAN NEWS SOURCES
SANA: Syrian Arab News Agency
http://sana.sy/index_eng.html
The Syrian Arab News Agency is the national official news agency of Syria. It was established in 1965.
The Syria Times
http://syriatimes.sy/
The Syria Times is an official daily e-newspaper in English, issued by Al-Wedha Establishment for Press,
Printing, Publishing and Distribution, affiliated to the Ministry of Information.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
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MIDEAST NEWS SOURCES
Syrian News Wire
http://newsfromsyria.com/
The Syria News Wire is written from Damascus and London. It was the fourth Syrian blog to appear on
the internet – back in 2004. It is a Lonely Planet favorite, award nominated, Toot-ified blog, which gets
about 15,000 hits a month.
Shaam News Network
http://en.shaam.org/
Shaam News Network, based in Damascus, Syria, delivers the latest news, videos, and reports on the
situation in Syria. All news with the hashtag #SNN has been verified and checked for credibility.
Syria Untold
http://www.syriauntold.com/en
Syria Untold is an independent digital media project exploring the storytelling of the Syrian struggle
and the diverse forms of resistance. We are a team of Syrian writers, journalists, programmers and
designers living in the country and abroad trying to highlight the narrative of the Syrian revolution,
which Syrian men and women are writing day by day.
REGIONAL NEWS SOURCES
Al Jazeera America
http://america.aljazeera.com/
Al Jazeera America is the new American news channel that reports unbiased, fact-based and in-depth
journalism that gets you closer to the people at the heart of
the news.
Jadaliyya
http://www.jadaliyya.com/
Jadaliyya is an independent ezine produced by ASI (Arab
Studies Institute), the umbrella organization that
produces Arab Studies Journal, Tadween
Publishing, FAMA, and Quilting Point. Jadaliyya provides a
unique source of insight and critical analysis that combines
local knowledge, scholarship, and advocacy with an eye to
audiences in the United States, the Middle East and
beyond. The site currently publishes posts both in Arabic,
French, English, and Turkish.
Al Ahram Weekly
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_
Al-Ahram Weekly is an independent English-language
asia/middle_east_95.jpg
newspaper issued by Al-Ahram Organisation. Since it first
hit the newsstands on Thursday 28 February, 1991, it has rapidly established itself as the leading
English-language newspaper, not only in Egypt, but also -- as we know from the many letters we
receive from our readers -- throughout the Arab world.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
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MIDEAST NEWS SOURCES
Al Bawaba
http://www.albawaba.com/en/
Al Bawaba is the largest independent producer and distributor of content in the Middle East. Al Bawaba
News prides itself on providing first-rate coverage of the Middle East from a local perspective.
Gulf News
http://gulfnews.com/
Gulf News has established itself as the leading English language newspaper of the region — a position it
has occupied for many years.
Al-Monitor
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/home.html
Al-Monitor is a new media website providing original reporting and analysis by prominent journalists
and experts from the Middle East and offering in-depth analysis through
its Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine and Turkey "Pulses."
Al Arabiya
http://english.alarabiya.net/tools/about.html
English.alarabiya.net is the new website of the Al Arabiya family. It seeks to reach a non-Arab
international audience, as well as expatriates living in the Middle East and North Africa, in order to
deepen understanding of Arab societies, cultures and economies. The website has five distinctive
elements: analytical text; strong visuals; a forum for Arab opinion; expanded social-media outreach,
and a Web-TV platform.
Haaretz
http://www.haaretz.com/
The online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, and analysis from Israel and the Middle East.
Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East,
including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem
affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
OTHER NEWS SOURCES
International Crisis Group: Syria
http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/middle-east-north-africa/egypt-syria-lebanon/syria.aspx
Working to prevent conflict worldwide.
UN News Centre
http://www.un.org/News/
Provides breaking news from the UN News Service.
The Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
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MIDEAST NEWS SOURCES
The Council on Foreign Relations is home to more than seventy full-time, adjunct, and visiting scholars
and practitioners (called "fellows"). Their expertise covers the world's major regions as well as the
critical issues shaping today's global agenda.
Global Voices
http://globalvoicesonline.org
Global Voices is a community of more than 700 authors and 600 translators around the world who work
together to bring you reports from blogs and citizen media everywhere, with emphasis on voices that
are not ordinarily heard in international mainstream media.
LinkTV: Mosaic World News
http://www.linktv.org/mosaic/index.php3
Mosaic monitors the daily TV news programs produced by more than 35 broadcasters throughout the
Middle East and North Africa. Highlights of these news reports are presented unedited and translated,
when necessary, into English.
The Middle East Research and
Information Project
http://www.merip.org/
The Middle East Research and
Information Project (MERIP) was
established in 1971. The original
conception of MERIP was to provide
information and analysis on the
Middle East that would be picked up
by the existing media.
Syria Deeply
http://beta.syriadeeply.org/
© Michael Scott
Syria Deeply is a part of News Deeply, a new media startup and social enterprise based in New York.
We are registered as a B Corp, or Benefit Corporation, with the stated mission of advancing foreign
policy literacy through public service journalism.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
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CONTEMPORARY LIFE IN SYRIA:
RELIGION AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY
Main Languages
Main Religions
Main Minority Groups
Arabic (official)
Kurdish (Kirmanji dialect)
Armenian
Aramaic
Circassian
Turkish
Sunni Islam (74%)
Alawite Islam (11%)
other Muslim (2%)
Christianity (10%)
Druze (3%)
Alawite Muslims 2.1 million (11%)
Christians 1.9 million (10%)
Iraqi refugees 1.5 -- 2 million (7.8 -- 10.4%)
Kurds 2 -- 2.5 million (10- 15%)
Druze 580,000 (3%)
Palestinians 442,000 (2.3%)
Isma'ilis and Ithna'ashari or Twelver Shia 386,000
(2%)
Armenians 323,000 (1.7%)
http://www.refworld.org/docid/4954ce5ac.html
Washington Post: The One Map That Shows Why Syria Is So Complicated (08/27/2013)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/27/the-one-map-that-shows-whysyria-is-so-complicated/
Now that the United States is strongly signaling that it will lead some form of limited offshore strikes
against Syria in response to suspected chemical
weapons attacks on civilians, one point you're
Frontline Lesson Plan: Muslims
going to hear repeated over and over about the
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/s
country is that it's complicated. And that's no
hows/muslims/
joke, as the above map helps to drive home.
FRONTLINE’s "Muslims" is a special twohour film examining the different faces of
Syria’s Ethno-Religious Complexity – and
Islam's worldwide resurgence and the
Potential Turmoil (03/31/2011)
fundamental tenets of the faith. Reporting
http://geocurrents.info/geopolitics/syrias-ethnofrom Iran, Nigeria, Egypt, Malaysia, Turkey,
religious-complexity-and-potential-turmoil
and the United States, and drawing on the
Most Americans would be surprised to learn of
perspectives of leading scholars of Islam,
the ethnic and religious diversity that exists in
this program tells the stories of Muslims
present-day Syria. This site includes a map of
struggling to define how Islam will shape
non-Arabic languages in Syria, religion in Syria,
their lives and societies.
and Arabic dialects in Syria from 2011.
Syria’s Ethnic and Religious Divisions
(02/20/2012)
http://www.fragilestates.org/2012/02/20/syrias-ethnic-and-religious-divides/
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
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CONTEMPORARY LIFE IN SYRIA:
RELIGION AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY
Maps show how divided Syria is and how dangerous a breakdown in public authority is likely to be. The
country’s 19 million people are divided into Sunni Arabs (65 percent), Alawis (12 percent), Christians (10
percent), Kurds (9 percent), Druze (3 percent), Bedouin, Ismailis, Turcomans, Circassians, and Assyrians.
This demographic mosaic is further complicated by divisions within many of these groups.
The Difference Between Alawites and Sunnis in Syria: Why is there Sunni-Alawite Tension in Syria?
http://middleeast.about.com/od/syria/tp/The-Difference-Between-Alawites-And-Sunnis-In-Syria.htm
The differences between Alawites and Sunnis in Syria have sharpened dangerously since the beginning
of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, whose family is Alawite. The reason for tension is
primarily political, rather than religious: top positions in Assad’s army are held by Alawite officers, while
most of the rebels from the Free Syrian Army come from Syria’s Sunni majority.
Syria – Religion
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/syria/religion.htm
The minority Alawite sect holds an elevated political status disproportionate to its numbers because
President Assad and his family are Alawites. Although the government generally enforced legal and
policy protections of religious freedom for most Syrians, including the Christian minority, it continued
to prosecute individuals for membership in the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafist groups, and other faith
communities that it deemed to be extreme.
Reuters Special Report: Deepening Ethnic Rifts Reshape Syria's Towns
Common Core Connection
(06/21/2013)
THE DAY AFTER
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/21/us-syria-rebels-sectarianismspecialrepo-idUSBRE95K08J20130621
The villages that dot the valleys and terraced hills of
Critical Thinking Questions
Syria's northwest used to epitomize the country's
*Top positions in Assad’s army are held by
diversity. Each one was dominated by a different
Alawite officers, while most of the rebels
religion or sect. The settlements coexisted from the Free Syrian Army come from
sometimes peacefully, sometimes less so - for
Syria’s Sunni majority. Can you think of
centuries, a patchwork of distinct but interwoven
other current and/or historical examples in
communities that, for many Syrians, was central to
which the leader of a country or the
the nation's identity. Over the past two years, that
government militia is from a minority
order has fallen apart.
group?
Syrian Kurdish Dissident: Break Syria into Pieces
(05/16/2012)
http://www.gloria-center.org/2012/05/syriankurdish-dissident-break-syria-into-pieces/
Sherkoh Abbas, a veteran Syrian Kurdish dissident,
called on Israel in May 2012 to support the break-up
of Syria into a series of federal structures based on
the country’s various ethnicities. Abbas, who heads
the Washington-based Kurdistan National
Assembly, said that dismantling Syria into ethnic
*From a historical perspective, what have
been Islam's ancient and modern conflicts
with the West?
*What issues are confronting Muslims in
the modern globalized world? And what is
the impact on the West of the Islamic
resurgence?
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CONTEMPORARY LIFE IN SYRIA:
RELIGION AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY
enclaves with a federal administration would serve to “break the link” between Syria and the Iran-led
“Shi’a crescent.”
International Crisis Group: Syria’s Kurds: A Struggle Within a Struggle (01/22/2013)
http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/middle-east-north-africa/egypt-syria-lebanon/syria/136-syriaskurds-a-struggle-within-a-struggle.aspx
Ethnically and linguistically a distinct group, Syria’s Kurds inhabit lands close to the Turkish and Iraqi
borders, though several cities in other parts of the country, in particular Damascus and Aleppo, also
have large Kurdish constituencies... As things stand, one cannot speak of a contiguous territory.
History of Armenians in Syria
http://www.syrianarmenianrelieffund.org/background.php\
Syria and the surrounding areas have often served as a refuge for Armenians who fled from wars and
persecutions such as the Armenian Genocide. According to Armenian diaspora organizations estimated
that there are 150,000 Armenians in Syria, most of whom live in Aleppo. But in fact the number of the
Armenian population in Syria has declined during the recent 20 years, and it roughly counts 100,000
nowadays. The town of Kesab has an Armenian majority.
On the Druze
http://www.antiochgate.com/about_druze.htm
The Druze are a Middle Eastern religious community whose traditional religion began as an offshoot of
the Isma'ili sect of Islam (the other 2 branches of Isma'ilism being Nizari and Musta'li), but is unique in
its incorporation of Gnostic, neo-Platonic and other philosophies. Druze consider themselves
theologically as "an Islamic Unist, reformatory sect", although they are generally not recognised as
Muslim by other Muslims.
© Michael Scott
World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
42
CONTEMPORARY LIFE IN SYRIA: WOMEN IN SYRIA
Huffington Post: Inside a Syrian Quran School for Women: The Spiritual Roots of a Revolution
(12/02/2011)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kamran-pasha/syrian-quran-school-for-women_b_1119535.html
Women have been the heart and backbone of Islam from its beginnings. From the courage of Khadija,
Prophet Muhammad's first wife and first convert, to the scholarship and fiery independence of his later
wife Aisha; from the political genius of Muslim queens such as Egypt's Shajarat al-Dur and India's Nur
Jahan to the spiritual wisdom of female saints such as Rabia of Basra, Islam has been shaped and
guided by the feminine hand since its earliest days.
Muslim Women’s League
http://www.mwlusa.org/about/about.html
The Muslim Women's League is a non-profit Muslim American organization working to implement the
values of Islam and thereby reclaim the status of women as free, equal and vital contributors to
society... Sadly, many obstacles exist that not only impede efforts to improve women's lives, but also
turn women as well as men away from Islam because of the misinterpretation and misapplication of
religious texts.
Muslim Women’s League: An Islamic Perspective on
Women's Dress
After reading “An Islamic Perspective
http://www.mwlusa.org/topics/dress/hijab.html
on Women’s Dress”, discuss the various
No subject seems to receive more attention as an issue
reasons people are for and against the
unique to Muslims than that of women’s dress. Muslims
practice.
and non-Muslims alike dwell on this issue... Examining
the reasons for such obsession is beyond the scope of this
position paper, but deserves consideration nevertheless, as we ask ourselves why so many people are
so preoccupied with the appearance of Muslim women.
Critical Thinking Question
PBS: Muslim Women's Movements
http://www.pbs.org/pov/thelightinhereyes/photo_gallery_background.php?photo=3#gallery-top
"Veiling," the Muslim custom of wearing hijab, is
often viewed by non-Muslim feminists as an
The Hijab Between Secularism and Piety
oppressive act that silences Muslim women and
http://www.ircv.org/the-hijab-betweenexemplifies the myth of Islam as inherently sexist
secularism-and-piety/
and patriarchal. Yet, growing religious revivalism in
The purpose of this lesson is to elicit discussion
the Muslim world has led to an increase in Islamic
on the contemporary meaning of hijab and the
dress, including head coverings. For many Muslim
various reactions it draws from different
women, wearing the headscarf has become a
cultures. The lesson is based on a reading
feminist act, serving as a symbol of their identity
selected from a contemporary journalistic
and a way to counter cultural imperialism.
source.
Pre-Reading Question:
Interview: Saba Mahmood, Anthropologist and
Does the way you dress convey something
Author of “The Politics of Piety”
about the person you are?
http://thelightinhereyesmovie.com/resources/interv
iew-saba-mahmood/
What is “The Piety Movement?” All over the Middle
East and other places I’ve heard about from Malaysia, to Indonesia to Pakistan and Bangladesh women
and girls are studying Islam in a more formalized manner... They are also learning practical things such
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CONTEMPORARY LIFE IN SYRIA: WOMEN IN SYRIA
as what it means for a young woman to live in contemporary society, trying to keep a religiously devout
practice, while at the same time, not turning away from education, employment, working and all sorts
of social milieus which require men and women to be together.
Research Report: Women’s Participation as Leaders, Teachers, and Contributors to the Waqf
http://thelightinhereyesmovie.com/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Sarah-Grey-Research-reportWomens-roles-as-teachers-leaders-and-contributors-to-the-waqf-in-Damascus.pdf
It is difficult to define exactly what is meant by ‘teachers’ and ‘leaders’ when looking at women’s roles in
Islamic history, because few women held ‘teaching posts’ or official positions as ‘leaders’ in a formal,
institutional sense.
Altmuslimah: Exploring Both Sides of the Gender Divide
http://www.altmuslimah.com/
Today, AltMuslimah has become a unique space for compelling commentary on gender-in-Islam from
both the male and female, Muslim and non-Muslim, perspectives.
Common Core Connection
Save the Muslim Girl!
http://www.rethinkingschool
s.org/archive/24_02/24_02_
muslim.shtml
Does popular young adult
fiction about Muslim girls
build understanding or
reinforce stereotypes?
Young adult titles that focus
on the lives of Muslim girls in
the Middle East, written
predominantly by white
women, have appeared in
increasing numbers since
Sept. 11, 2001. Authors
portray Muslim girls
overwhelmingly as
characters haunted by a sad
past, on the cusp of a
(usually arranged) marriage,
or impoverished and wishing
for the freedoms that are
often assigned to the West,
such as education, safety,
and prosperity.
THE DAY AFTER
Religion in Culture & Politics: Women’s Empowerment in
Syria
http://www.pbs.org/pov/thelightinhereyes/lesson_plan.php
In this lesson, students will explore the role of religion in
society and politics in Syria. They will watch a series of video
clips showing Muslim women in Syria who are committed to
living according to Islam without giving up their autonomy.
Students will compare the ideas and actions of these
women with their personal idea of women's empowerment.
The video clips featured in this lesson (in Arabic with English
subtitles) are from the film, The Light in Her Eyes, a
documentary that features a summer Qur'an school for girls
in Damascus, Syria.
Critical Thinking Question
One woman says, "A woman is a school. If you teach her,
you teach an entire generation." What do you think she
means? What impact could such a belief have on the role of
women in her community?
Teach Mideast: Stereotypes of Arabs, Middle Easterners and Muslims
http://www.teachmideast.org/essays/26-stereotypes/38-stereotypes-of-arabs-middle-easterners-andmuslims
The cartoon included in this article was published in 2002 in the Philadelphia Inquirer... It presents a
stereotypical view of Arabs and Muslims that is still held by many people in the United States. The
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CONTEMPORARY LIFE IN SYRIA: WOMEN IN SYRIA
cartoon allows us to examine some of these common beliefs and contrast a simplistic
misunderstanding with a more balanced and nuanced understanding of Arabs and Muslims.
© Michael Scott
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CONTEMPORARY LIFE IN SYRIA: THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
The NUHA Foundation: Education in Syria
http://www.nuhafoundation.org/home/network/crps/syria#.Uj4QGo7RcxI
Over the last few years, the current Syrian government has tried to reform the educational system. This
has included many attempts to improve the legislative framework for universities and the participation
of the private sector in the educational process... At the same time, the Syrian regime has been
concerned about the intentions of international organisations in Syria and it has thus been difficult for
many NGOs to work in Syria in the area of education and for them to provide vocational training.
Islamic Education in Syria: Undoing Secularism (11/2003)
http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/L/Joshua.M.Landis-1/Islamic%20Education%20in%20Syria.htm
Islamic education in Syrian schools is traditional, rigid, and Sunni... At first view, one might expect Syria
to promote a liberal and tolerant view of religious difference in its religion curriculum. The reasons for
this are many. Syria has been ruled by leaders belonging to a religious minority, the Muslim Alawi sect,
for 40 years and is home to many religious minorities both Christian and Muslim. Instead, it has pursued
an integralist policy of nation-building for the last 40 years under the Ba`th Party.
Study in Syria – Educational System in Syria
http://www.arabiancampus.com/studyinsyria/edusys.htm
The demand for education has increased sharply. Between 1970 and 1976, enrollment in the primary,
lower secondary, and upper secondary levels increased by 43 percent, 52 percent and 65 percent,
respectively. During the same period, enrollments in the various institutes of higher learning increased
by over 66 percent... A second major thrust of Syrian educational planning was eliminating illiteracy. In
1981, an estimated 2 million Syrians —42 percent of the population over 12 years of age— were
illiterate. In accordance with the government's drive to eliminate illiteracy by 1991, in 1984
approximately 57,000 Syrians attended literacy classes sponsored by the Ministry of Education and the
Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.
International Conference of Education: National Report on the Educational Development in the
Syrian Arab Republic (2004)
http://www.ibe.unesco.org/International/ICE47/English/Natreps/reports/syria_ocr.pdf
To perform its new message, education has to target man on its starting point towards future.
Educating man is a requirement of survival and self-fulfillment as a human being. It is the optimal
origination of his/her capacities, knowledge, and skills. It is the driving force of human development. It
is a right provided for in the international conventions. Here, Syria is so keen on disseminating
education to all male and female citizens. further, Syria has been increasingly giving attention to the
standard of education in application of the principle of democratic and mandatory education.
Washington Post: Syria’s Education Crisis, in Three Charts (03/05/2013)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/03/05/syrias-education-crisis-in-threecharts/
The United Nations Children's Fund estimates that some Syrian children have missed out on as much as
two years of education in the midst of their country's ongoing civil struggle... “Syria once prided itself
on the quality of its schools. Now it’s seeing the gains it made over the years rapidly reversed.”
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CONTEMPORARY LIFE IN SYRIA: THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
Educational System in Syria: A Tragic Reality and an Obscure Future
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/14746426-educational-system-in-syria-a-tragic-realityand-an-obscure-future
The education system in Syria is in a terrible state. Military engagements, bombardments and airstrikes
have displaced millions of Syrians, preventing tens, if not hundreds of thousands of students from
attending school. The Syrian government has turned some schools into detention centers and barracks.
School buildings have been destroyed in the fighting and still other schools are being used to house
refugees.
© Michael Scott
Reuters: Syria War Imperils Education of 2.5 million Children: Aid Agency
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/11/us-syria-crisis-children-idUSBRE96A14G20130711
More than a fifth of Syria's schools have been destroyed or made unusable in more than two years of
conflict, jeopardizing the education of 2.5 million young people, Save The Children aid agency reported
on Friday. The civil war in Syria has contributed to a sharp increase over the past year in the number of
violent incidents affecting children's education reported worldwide, the agency said.
All Voices: Educational System in Syria: A Tragic Reality and an Obscure Future (06/05/2013)
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/14746426-educational-system-in-syria-a-tragic-realityand-an-obscure-future
The education system in Syria is in a terrible state. Military engagements, bombardments, and
airstrikes have displaced millions of Syrians, preventing tens, if not hundreds of thousands of students
from attending school. The Syrian government has turned some schools into detention centers and
barracks. School buildings have been destroyed in the fighting and still other schools are being used to
house refugees.
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ARTS AND CULTURE: ARCHITECTURE/UNESCO SITES
TeachMidEast.org: The Birth of Islamic Art: the Umayyads
http://www.teachmideast.org/essays/37-culture/121-the-birth-of-islamic-art-the-umayyads:
Yet it was the Umayyad period which integrated the classical tradition into Islamic art, which devised
some of the basic types of mosque and palace destined to recur repeatedly in later generations, which
established the sovereign importance of applied ornament — geometric, floral and epigraphic — in
Islamic art, and finally which showed that a distinctive new style could be welded together from the
most disparate elements. In so doing it molded the future development of Islamic art.
UNESCO World Heritage: Ancient City of Damascus
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/20/
Founded in the 3rd millennium B.C., Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. In the
Middle Ages, it was the centre of a flourishing craft industry, specializing in swords and lace. The city
has some 125 monuments from different periods of its history – one of the most spectacular is the 8thcentury Great Mosque of the Umayyads, built on the site of an Assyrian sanctuary.
UNESCO World
Heritage:
Ancient City of
Aleppo
http://whc.unesco
.org/en/list/21/
Located at the
crossroads of
several trade
routes from the
2nd millennium
B.C., Aleppo was
ruled successively
by the Hittites,
Assyrians, Arabs,
Mongols,
Mamelukes and
Ottomans. The
13th-century
citadel, 12thhttp://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&l=en&id_site=20&gallery=1&&maxrows=42
century Great Mosque
and various 17th-century madrasas, palaces, caravanserais and hammams all form part of the city's
cohesive, unique urban fabric, now threatened by overpopulation.
UNESCO World Heritage: Ancient City of Bosra
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/22/
Bosra, once the capital of the Roman province of Arabia, was an important stopover on the ancient
caravan route to Mecca. A magnificent 2nd-century Roman theatre, early Christian ruins and several
mosques are found within its great walls.
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ARTS AND CULTURE: ARCHITECTURE/UNESCO SITES
UNESCO World Heritage:
Site of Palmyra
http://whc.unesco.org/en/li
st/23/
An oasis in the Syrian
desert, north-east of
Damascus, Palmyra
contains the monumental
ruins of a great city that
was one of the most
important cultural centres
of the ancient world. From
the 1st to the 2nd century,
the art and architecture of
Palmyra, standing at the
crossroads of several
civilizations, married
Graeco-Roman techniques
with local traditions and
Persian influences.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/23/gallery/
UNESCO World Heritage: Ancient Villages of Northern Syria
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1348/
Some 40 villages grouped in eight parks situated in north-western Syria provide remarkable testimony
to rural life in late Antiquity and during the Byzantine period. Abandoned in the 8th to 10th centuries,
the villages, which date from the 1st to 7th centuries, feature a remarkably well preserved landscape
and the architectural remains of dwellings, pagan temples, churches, cisterns, bathhouses etc. The
relict cultural landscape of the villages also constitutes an important illustration of the transition from
the ancient pagan world of the
Roman Empire to Byzantine
Christianity. Vestiges illustrating
hydraulic techniques, protective
walls and Roman agricultural plot
plans furthermore offer testimony
to the inhabitants' mastery of
agricultural production.
UNESCO World Heritage: Crac
des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah
Din
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/122
9/
These two castles represent the
most significant examples
illustrating the exchange of
influences and documenting the
evolution of fortified architecture in
http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&l=en&id_site=1229&gallery=1&&maxrows=30
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ARTS AND CULTURE: ARCHITECTURE/UNESCO SITES
the Near East during the time of the Crusades (11th - 13th centuries). The Crac des Chevaliers was built
by the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem from 1142 to 1271. With further construction by the
Mamluks in the late 13th century, it ranks among the best-preserved examples of the Crusader castles.
The Qal’at Salah El-Din (Fortress of Saladin), even though partly in ruins, represents an outstanding
example of this type of fortification, both in terms of the quality of construction and the survival of
historical stratigraphy. It retains features from its Byzantine beginnings in the 10th century, the
Frankish transformations in the late 12th century and fortifications added by the Ayyubid dynasty (late
12th to mid-13th century).
New York Times: Syrian Conflict Imperils Historical Treasures
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/arts/design/syrian-conflict-imperils-historical-treasures.html
Preservationists and archaeologists are warning that fighting in Syria’s commercial capital, Aleppo —
considered the world’s oldest continuously inhabited human settlement — threatens to damage
irreparably the stunning architectural and cultural legacy left by 5,000 years of civilizations.
LiveScience: Syria's Rich Archaeological Treasures Imperiled by Civil War
http://www.livescience.com/39381-syria-archaeology-at-risk.html
The country is home to ancient Paleolithic fossils, some of the earliest evidence of agriculture and one
of the largest troves of cuneiform tablets ever discovered...Yet hundreds of archaeological sites are
imperiled by civil war in Syria; bombing and looting have ravaged some of the richest of these sites;
government and rebel forces have occupied ancient castles and bulldozed archaeological mounds
created over thousands of years of human occupation. All six of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in
the country have been damaged.
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October 16, 2013
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ARTS AND CULTURE: VISUAL ARTS
Burnside Writers Collective: 8 Contemporary Syrian Artists to Know
http://burnsidewriters.com/2013/09/03/8-contemporary-syrian-artists-to-know/
Art preserves history. It is a visual lens through which we can better understand the socio-political
milieus that have gone before us and that we live through today. Artists are particularly tuned into the
world around them. They interpret what they see through paintings, photography, sculpture, cartoons,
and collage, and in turn we may come to understand issues pertaining to religion, the economy,
gender, and power through their civilian eyes. Their images may reach us in ways that words—
particularly that of news reports—cannot.
Nafas Art Magazine: Jaber Al Azmeh: A Small
Group of Syrians
http://universes-inuniverse.org/eng/nafas/articles/2012/jaber_al_azm
eh
This project takes on one of the Syrian
Government’s most prominent symbols-The
Ba’ath Newspaper-as part and parcel of the Baath
Security State—and here turns it upside down to
be a surface of new thoughts written by the Syrian
people thus overturning the daily chronicle of
government lies.
Nafas Art Magazine: Ali Ferzat: In His Own
Words
http://universes-inuniverse.org/eng/nafas/articles/2012/ali_ferzat
On art, censorship, freedom and the revolution in Syria.
Work By: Jaber Al Azmeh
http://www.syriaartvolution.com/artists.html
Ahram Online: Middle East Artists Demand Freedom for Syrian Painter
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/25/77334/Arts--Culture/Visual-Art/Middle-East-artistsdemand-freedom-for-Syrian-pain.aspx
Artists across the Middle East and beyond have demanded that Syria free painter and illustrater
Youssef Abdelke, who has long defied state control by depicting the horrors of dictatorship and refused
to flee his country’s civil war.
Global Voices: Light Weapons: Moving Pictures from Syria
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/07/02/light-weapons-moving-pictures-from-syria/
Over 500,000 videos have been uploaded to the internet from Syria during the past two years. Many
document the course of protest and conflict, while others promote the views and perspectives of
combatants, protesters, peace movements, and ordinary citizens who are witness to events.
Syria-Inside
http://www.syria-inside.com/
Syria Inside is a comedy-witness-documentary movie – assembling the most tragic stories and the
funniest creative productions from Syrian activists and artists. Presented in a new technology, the
“Syrian 3D” and with the typical unique Syrian black humour, you will get an insight to what humans are
able to do – both good and bad – that let you see yourself in a different light. The producers Tamer
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ARTS AND CULTURE: VISUAL ARTS
AlAwam (Syria) and Jan Heilig (Germany) decided 2011 to collaborate in a production full of
unbelievable hilarious situations. In August 2012 Tamer was shot in Alleppo /Syria in the middle of the
production. The Syrian web show-producers WithYouSyria and the German producer decided to finish
the project.
SyriaArtvolution: Expressions of Freedom
http://www.syriaartvolution.com/home.html
Syria Artvolution: Expressions of Freedom exhibits a captivating multimedia show of acclaimed Syrian
artists and musicians. These poignant works forward insight into the Syrian experience, telling a visual
tale of a peoples’ desire for dignity, freedom, and peace.
Work By Wassim Al Jazairi
http://www.syriaartvolution.com/artists.html
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October 16, 2013
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ARTS AND CULTURE: MUSIC AND LITERATURE
The Syrian Symphony Orchestra
http://www.damascusopera.com/en/gallery/audio
When the Syrian Symphony Orchestra performed its first
concert at the Omayyad conference palace in 1993, after being
officially established by a presidential decree and long before
this Opera House was inaugurated, it was not only the music
that swept the 3000 people who were present away, but rather
the realization that such an achievement, the establishing of
such a great and civilized entity actually took place in Syria.
Washington Post: 9 Questions about
Syria, George Wassouf and Omar Souleyman
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/0
8/29/9-questions-about-syria-you-were-too-embarrassed-toask/
A Contemporary, soulful, and foot-able song by George
Wassouf and Leh Jani, a song by the great Syrian musician,
Omar Souleyman.
Global Voices: Syrian Pianist Malek Jandali: “We Need
Freedom for True Art”
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/08/06/syrian-pianist-malekjandali-we-need-freedom-for-true-art/
When Syrians took to the streets in March 2011, they rebelled
not only against the ruling Assad family, but also against the
obscurantism that had been imposed on them for decades. Art
as a whole, and music in particular, have played a crucial role in
the paradigm shift that has accompanied the revolution, as
Syrians discover their voices for the first time.
The Pipe Organ
The pipe organ of Damascus
Opera House is considered the
largest musical instrument in
the Middle East in terms of
size and specifications. It was
made in Germany by the
world-famous manufacturer
Aokhov and compiled in
Damascus in 2000 by
Wolfgang and Andreas Brown
Hmotz under the supervision
of the company owner Hans
Eric Aokhov.
Damascus Opera Pipe Organ
AT A GLANCE: LITERATURE
New Yorker: Sarmada the Essential Novel of the Syrian Spring
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2011/12/sarmada-the-essential-novel-of-the-syrianspring.html
The story of “Sarmada” traces the lives of three Druze women living in an isolated town in the Syrian
hills—not, at first glance, the stuff of political literature. The book isn’t narrowly political and doesn’t
paint a portrait of the uprisings themselves. Instead, it gives us something much more valuable: a
detailed view of the entire mechanism of a culture—its connection to the land, its way of telling stories,
and its idiosyncrasies.
World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
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ARTS AND CULTURE: AUTHOR PROFILE, RAFIK SCHAMI
Biography
https://www.goodreads.com/author
/show/74222.Rafik_Schami
Born in Damascus, Syria in 1946,
Rafik Schami (Arabic: ‫ ) شامي رف يق‬is
the son of a baker from an ArabChristian (originally Aramaic)
family. His schooling and university
studies (diploma in chemistry) took
place in Damascus. From 1965,
Schami wrote stories in Arabic.
From 1964-70 he was the cofounder and editor of the wall newssheet Al-Muntalak (The StartingPoint) in the old quarter of the city.
In 1971 Schami moved to
Heidelberg and financed further
studies by typical guest worker jobs
(factories, building sites,
restaurants). He earned his
doctorate in chemistry in 1979 and
http://www.goodreads.com/photo/author/74222.Rafik_Schami
began career in the chemical
industry. In his spare time, he cofounded the literary group Südwind in 1980 and was part of the PoLiKunst movement. Schami became
a full time author in 1982. He lives in Kirchheimbolanden with his Bavarian wife and son and he holds
dual citizenship. Schami's books have been translated into 20 languages.
Books (in English):
 The Dark Side of Love
 Damascus Nights
 A Handful of Stars
 The Calligrapher’s Secret
 Fatima and the Dream Thief
 Albert and Lila
Words Without Borders: A Conversation with Rafik Schami
http://wordswithoutborders.org/article/a-conversation-with-rafik-schami
Syrian journalist Nadia Midani spoke with Rafik Schami earlier this year. The following is an edited
transcript of that conversation. Nadia Midani: “I’ll begin by asking what will be left in the end. I know
it’s a trap, and no one can give a real answer to that question, but I will ask it all the same: what
alternatives face the Syrians now?”
World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
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LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
Mercy Corps
http://www.mercycorps.org/
Since 1979, Mercy Corps has helped people grappling with the toughest hardships survive — and then
thrive. That’s the heart of their approach: they help communities turn crisis into opportunity.
Mamnoon Restaurant, Seattle
http://www.mamnoonrestaurant.com/
At Mamnoon, we share these strengths brought with us from Lebanon and Syria to the new world of
Seattle – where modern curiosity, compassion, progressive values and tolerance are paving the way for
harmonious integration and celebration of cultures and flavors.
Idriss Mosque
http://www.idrismosque.com/introduction.html
Idriss Mosque is a non-profit religious organization established in 1981. Idriss Mosque is the flagship
Mosque for Seattle in Washington State. It was the first mosque west of the Mississippi River designed
in an Arabesque architecture style. Idriss Mosque is not a membership organization and welcomes
thousands of worshipers and visitors every year regardless of creed, ethnicity, race, culture,
background, etc. The mosque offers a variety of services and activities for Muslims and non-Muslims to
improve our communities and relationships in the greater Seattle and Puget Sound regions of the
Northwest.
Islamic Education Center of Seattle
http://www.iecseattle.org/index.html?page=main.html
The Islamic Educational Center of Seattle (IECS), is a non-profit organization dedicated to provide
educational, cultural and religious services in the greater Puget Sound area. IECS is not affiliated with
any political organization, political party, or any government.
Arab Alliance Chamber Commerce of Washington State
http://www.aaccwa.org/index.html
The AACCWA is derived to help local Arab business in Washington State to grow and be part of the
global economy of America. The AACCWA will provide resources and networking to strengthen those
business locally and nationally.
Arab Center of Washington
http://arabcenterwa.org/
Founded in 1992, the Arab Center of Washington (ACW) is a non-profit organization working in
Washington State to foster deeper understanding of and appreciation for the richness and vibrancy of
Arab culture and its contributions, through educational programs and community outreach events.
ACW is a cooperative of community organizations, associations, and individuals – Arab and non-Arab
alike – who share a passion for Arab culture and a desire to see it accurately represented and holistically
reflected.
Global Washington
http://globalwa.org/
Global Washington is a catalyst for strengthening the global development sector and its member
organizations by leveraging resources, increasing visibility, sharing best practices, convening the sector
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LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
by country, issue and organization type, and advocating around education and global engagement and
foreign policy.
The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies: The Middle East Center
http://jsis.washington.edu/mideast/
The Middle East Studies program and the Middle East Center seek to strengthen an understanding of
the Middle East in all sectors of American society through training and research at the University of
Washington, as
well as through
delivery of
outreach
programming
across the nation.
Salaam Cultural
Museum
http://salaamcultur
almuseum.wordpr
ess.com/about-us/
The Salaam
Cultural Museum is
based in Seattle,
Washington, USA.
It’s twin activities
are to exhibit
artifacts from the
MENA region and
to inform and engage the public about the MENA region through lectures, public events,
and activities in schools.
© Michael Scott
One World Now!
http://www.oneworld-now.org/
One World Now! provides global leadership training combined with Chinese and Arabic language
classes for local, economically disadvantaged high school students of color preparing for college.
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LOCAL HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS:
PROFILE OF A LOCAL HUMANITARIAN, RITA ZAWAIDEH
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www.seattleglobalist.com
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Awards:
Seattle Human Rights Award, 2012
Globalist of the Year, The Seattle Globalist, 2013
2003 Samuel B. McKinney Award, Church Council of Greater Seattle, for Leadership in
Racial Justice and Reconciliation
2003 Conde Nast as a Top Travel Specialist.
2004 Conde Nast as a Top Travel Specialist
2005 Conde Nast
2006 Conde Nast
2007 Conde Nast – Travel Specialist
2008 Conde Nast – Travel Specialist for Middle East in US
2009 Conde Nast
2006 National Geographic top 50 place to go in the world before you died award - Yemen
2008 National geographic top 50 places to go in the world- Saudi Arabia
ACLU Libertarian Award
University of Washington Farhat Ziadeh Leadership Award – Feb 2007
United Nations Peace Award
Award from El Centro del La Raza
Award from American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Award from the Japanese American League
United States Chiefs of Police Appreciation Award
Seattle Chief of Police Appreciation Award
Syrian in Crisis (56:31) (06/29/2013)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z91EhY2ZjI
Talk by Rita Zawaideh, Arab-American Humanitarian Activist and Richard Silverstein, Writer at Tikun
Olam, on "Syria: A Nation and Region in Crisis" given June 28, 2013. Ms. Zawaideh shares in motivatingdesperation a quote by Dan Brown: “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain
their neutrality in times of moral crisis”.
The Seattle Times: We Can’t Forget the People: Seattle Humanitarian Heads to Syria with Doctors,
Medicine (09/03/2013)
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021747837_zawaidehsyriaxml.html
Rita Zawaideh and 29 doctors are headed to the Middle East, despite a potential bombing by the U.S.,
to lend aid to thousands of injured and homeless people in the wake of a chemical-weapons attack.
The Seattle Globalist: What the Heck is Happening in Syria? (04/15/2013)
http://www.seattleglobalist.com/2013/04/15/what-the-heck-is-happening-in-syria/12276
“You have no electricity, no water, you’re afraid to go out in the daytime, [you] don’t know if you’ll be
coming back. You can’t leave, roads are bad, and checkpoints are everywhere,” Zawaideh said. “The
road from Aleppo to Turkey is like Seattle to Vancouver and it takes 8-10 hours or days to cross. People
in Jordan that left from Hama spent 23 days walking. Snipers are shooting at children.”
Al-Jazeera America: Seattle Humanitarian is Syria Bound (09/02/2013)
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/live-news/2013/9/seattle-humanitarianissyriabound.html
Rita Zawaideh is heading to Syria on a medical mission. “You can’t turn your back on it,” she says.
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LOCAL HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS:
PROFILE OF MERCY CORPS
http://www.mercycorps.org/
http://www.mercycorps.org/about-us/our-work
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Mission: To alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure,
productive and just communities.
Vision for Change: Secure, productive and just communities emerge and endure when the
private, public and civil society sectors interact with accountability, inclusive participation and
mechanisms for peaceful change.
History: The organization was founded as Save the Refugees Fund, a task force organized by
Dan O’Neill in response to the plight of Cambodian refugees fleeing the famine, war and
genocide of the “killing fields”. In 1980 Dan O’Neill met Ellsworth Culver. In 1982 Culver and
O’Neill incorporated as Mercy Corps International in Seattle, Washington. Then in 1984 Mercy
Corps shortened its name and established it’s headquarters in Portland, Oregon.
Countries Served:
Afghanistan
Bolivia
Central African Republic
China
Colombia
DR Congo
Egypt
Ethiopia
Georgia
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Mali
Mongolia
Myanmar
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
Pakistan
Philippines
Somalia
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Syria
Tajikistan
Timor-Leste
Tunisia
Uganda
United States
West Bank and Gaza
Yemen
Zimbabwe
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
LOCAL HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS:
PROFILE OF MERCY CORPS
Mercy Corps’ Strategic Roadmap
http://www.mercycorps.org/sites/default/files/MercyCorps_FY14_Strategic_Roadmap_0.pdf
Fadi’s Story: A Camera Offers New Perspective
http://www.mercycorps.org/photoessays/lebanon-syria/fadis-story-camera-offers-new-perspective
Fadi Kaheel, 11, is one of many Syrian refugee children who participated in a recent photography
workshop in Lebanon, part of our Moving Forward program there.
The goal is to help young Syrian refugees — most of whom feel scared and isolated — integrate into
their new community and develop self-esteem, teamwork and coping skills by participating with
Lebanese kids in sports, support groups, and creative projects like theater, filmmaking and
photojournalism.
During the photography workshops in particular, the youth learn not only the basics of capturing an
image, but take an active role in their new lives in Lebanon. Through learning, engaging with their peers
and documenting their surroundings, the children learn that each new day can be meaningful even as
they wait to go home again.
For Fadi, the photography workshop also meant making new friends and gaining a deeper
understanding of his host community in Lebanon. In the images above, you can read more about his
story and see some of his photographs from the workshop.
As more refugees continue fleeing the escalating violence in Syria, Mercy Corps teams in Lebanon are
expanding these programs to new communities.
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World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013
60
World Affairs Council Resource Packet Syria on our Minds and in our Classrooms
October 16, 2013