This week marks ten years since the start of the Syrian revolution. Inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, Syrians dared to dream of change and took the streets to demand freedom and dignity after 40 years of dictatorship. It has also been ten years since my last visit to Damascus, the city I […]
The elections in Iraq that were originally planned for June 2021, were preceded by the negotiations and announcement of a new state budget for 2021. Following a year in which many frustrated Iraqis again took to the streets to demand better economic opportunities, the budget reflects an increase in the amount reserved for salaries of […]
Ihsan is a young girl who wants to play football. But her parents and everyone around her disapprove. This film, shot in southern Lebanon, depicts the challenges that young girls, and boys, across Lebanon face and the roles they are expected to fill. The film was made by the Tiro Association for Arts. Tiro and PAX […]
PAX in Lebanon: A year after the revolution On the 17th of October, anti-government protests in Lebanon marked a year since hundreds of thousands of people across Lebanon took the streets and demonstrated against the political elite, corruption and mismanagement of their country. A lot has happened since. The COVID-19 pandemic is hitting Lebanon hard, […]
The Trump administration will come to an end on the 20th of January when Joe Biden is sworn in as the new US President. When Trump took office, we here at PAX were as stunned as everyone else. A number of my colleagues shared their thoughts on what the Trump administration might mean for PAX´s […]
Monday, October 5 “Thank you to the government of your country for filing a lawsuit against the criminal Assad regime.” Ahmed texted me this about the Dutch government’s decision to hold the Syrian government responsible for human rights violations. He is happy that the Dutch government hasn’t forgotten them. “Hi Ahmed, thanks for your message. […]
Wednesday, September 9 Standing on the roof, Ahmed can almost see his house in Saraqeb. So close, and yet so far away. After the fall of Saraqeb, Ahmed first fled with his family to Azaz, in the north, to eventually find a place in Binnish. The front line between the Syrian army and the opposition […]
Physically I may be alive, but I am dead on the inside. I felt more fulfilled and happier when my husband was still alive. Since his death, I have tried to cope with this difficult life for the sake of my children. Despite all the pain and the simple life we lived in, I was […]
