Syria Are… – The Question of Syria

Last year, SPACE organized The Question of Syria engaging Norwegians in the struggle of Syrians through panels that focused on the political situation, civil society activism, as well as artistic and cultural practices.

This year, the unprecedented scale of violence, the military intervention by Russia as well as the diplomatic stalemate have seriously compromised the chances of the Syrian people in achieving their rightful ambitions to live in a democratic Syria.

Syrians today are around the world, feeling increasingly isolated and cut off from the social and family networks that any society usually has.

Today there is no longer one Syria with one meaning. We use the title “Syria are …” to reflect the multiple “Syrias” being created everyday.

Who are Syrians, and what do they want, and what are they doing?  We invite you to engage with our participants in this three-day event to try to address these basic questions in an attempt to come to terms with the level of destruction that scorches through Syria.

Program:
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Day one, Thursday Sept. 29: A glimpse on the past – venue: Nedjma, Litteraturhuset

The first day will set the scene for the audience to get familiar with Syria before 2011.

• 17:00 – 18:00 – Syria: between a political catastrophe and cultural resilience.  Speaker: Karam Nachar. Discussant: Rana Issa
• 18:30 – 20:00 – Misreading Syria: sectarian secularism. Speakers: Bjørn Olav Utvik, Marcell Shehwaro, Thomas Pierret.

Day two, Friday Sept. 30: A look at the present – venue: Wergeland, Litteraturhuset

The second day will offer a perspective into the complex reality in Syria today and what is needed to foster worldwide solidarity movements with the struggle of the Syrian people.

• 17:00 – 18:15 – Keynote Speech by Mazen Darwish. Åsne Seierstad, Norwegian author and journalist, will interview Mazen Darwish after the speech
• 18:30 – 20:00 – The Syria International. Robin Yassin-Kassab, Leila Al Shami, Bendik Sørvig. Moderated by Bissan Fakih.

Day three, Saturday Oct. 1: A gaze towards the future – Ingensteds

In the third day we move to Ingensteds and invite you all to use the open space to think Syria and imagine the possibilities for the future together with our participants.

18:30: Lightning talks: Five short talks by: Karam Nachar, Marcell Shehwaro, Iyad El-Baghdadi, Mohammad Al Saud and Bissan Fakih
19:30: Poetry reading in Russian by Ivo Spira: Extract from “Requiem” by Anna Andreevna Akhmatova
20:00 – 20:30 Live drawing by Razan Sabbagh and music by Ziad Khawam

For more information and updates, please visit this page.

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