The DeFacto Dialogue Platform took part in a two-day conference on inclusive democracy in Syria, organized by the Swedish Dialogue Institute for The Middle East And North Africa on September 21–22 in Amman.
The event brought together influential Syrian figures, think tanks, civil society representatives, and diverse political actors.
The conference highlighted the urgent need to expand dialogue among Syria’s various communities amid deep divisions that have persisted for more than a decade.
DeFacto Executive Director, Sherwan Youssef, represented the platform in all sessions, emphasizing that sustained and continuous dialogue “is the only way to build common ground among Syrians.”
He stressed that the participation of all active Syrian actors is essential and that civil society must play a central role in any future political discussions, calling for “the rejection of hate speech.”
Youssef also underlined that the Syrian government bears primary responsibility for engaging all parties to address outstanding issues, urging the state to “act as a unifying entity rather than a partisan actor” and ensure the rights of all Syrians within the constitution and governance processes.
