The Rights Defense Initiative (RDI) in partnership with the DeFacto Dialogue Platform held on Saturday the first session of its project “Together for Civil Peace and Social Cohesion” in Damascus.
The event brought together human rights activists, politicians, academics, media professionals, and representatives of civil society organizations to discuss ways to strengthen civil peace and foster social cohesion in Syria.
This inaugural session marks the beginning of a series of dialogue meetings designed to promote the values of peaceful coexistence and social solidarity by creating spaces for constructive discussion and encouraging a culture of dialogue among Syria’s diverse communities.
The project aims to provide an inclusive platform for stakeholders to present visions and practical proposals that support coexistence, while addressing the key challenges that hinder justice and reconciliation.
Key discussion points included:
- Foundations of civil peace: Respect for cultural and religious diversity, rule of law, equal citizenship, rebuilding trust through local initiatives, and supporting civil society institutions.
- Transitional justice: Accountability, truth-seeking, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence of violations.
- Role of media and social platforms: Promoting dialogue, countering hate speech, and combating misinformation.
The DeFacto platform emphasized that these meetings are meant to create open channels of communication among all parties and encourage participatory approaches to building sustainable peace and social unity in Syria.
