Hanna Davis

In northeastern Syria, a growing community of artists—dancers, musicians, filmmakers—fights to preserve the region’s diverse heritage and sustain more than a decade of cultural revival.

As Syria’s first head of state to address the UN in nearly 60 years, Ahmad al-Sharaa promised a new chapter despite a host of challenges facing his divided country’s political transition.

In Tremseh, an idyllic village in northern Hama with a bloody past, thousands of displaced residents have found their way home. Reunited with old friends, they are working to rebuild a community and heal old scars. 

Years of war, mismanagement and drought wreaked havoc on the fertile Ghouta countryside surrounding Damascus. Farmers face a host of challenges as they return to care for their land.

Thousands of Alawites have fled to Lebanon following sectarian killings on the Syrian coast. Local residents are springing into action, while some fear a spillover of violence.

In post-Assad Syria, many artists are experiencing a freedom of expression they have never known, one they are determined to hold on to. 

Despite the prospect of peace from a 60-day ceasefire, Lebanon’s agricultural sector has already suffered huge losses that have left a mark on the sector and those who rely on it—Syrians and Lebanese alike.

With scant resources available to help 1.2 million displaced people in Lebanon, tensions are rising and Syrians are a low priority. Abandoned to sleep in the street as Israel’s violent escalation deepens, for many it feels like history repeating itself.

As Lebanon deports and evicts Syrian refugees, pressure on journalists and advocates working to bring violations to light is also increasing, forcing some to leave the country or stop their work, just when it is needed most.

As life in Cyprus grows increasingly difficult for many asylum seekers, the number of Syrians opting into the island’s “voluntary return” program is going up. So far this year, 114 Syrians have returned, compared to just around 30 in all of 2023.