AGP Executive Report

Syrian Education: Basic Education and Sharia Preparatory Certificate exams kicked off across Syria, with 450,884 students for the Basic track and 13,141 for Sharia, spread over 2,053 centers, as officials say security and fairness measures are in place. Syrian Culture & Heritage: A new exhibition in Berlin, “Fractured Lifeworlds,” uses forensic visual reconstructions to confront the legacy of the first 20th-century genocide, linking memory work to research on Syria and Palestine abuses. Diplomacy: Syrian FM Asaad Al-Shaibani met Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to expand cooperation in energy, economy, investment, and security, with intelligence officials also present. Regional Lifestyle/Arts: Qatar Museums announced its June program in Doha, mixing family drop-ins, workshops, and Islamic art activities. Human Stories: In Australia, an ISIS-linked “bride” case continues in court over alleged enslavement and sexual violence tied to Raqqa, with bail conditions and legal arguments ongoing.

Syrian Education: Basic Education and Sharia Preparatory Certificate exams kicked off across Syria, with 450,884 students in the Basic Education track and 13,141 in Sharia Preparatory, spread over 2,053 centers—while Suwayda saw highway blockades by armed groups as exams began. Cultural Life & Identity: A Syrian-born, LA-based musician known as Bedouine is spotlighted in a conversation about carrying nomadic heritage into modern art, using the name’s “desert-dweller” roots as a creative compass. Diaspora Community Support: A Syrian refugee family in Almonte, Ontario, has moved from initial settlement help toward the next hurdles—employment and financial independence—after years-long resettlement paperwork and school enrollment. Books & Pride: A Syrian-Canadian queer memoir, Crooked Teeth, is featured among Pride Month reads, tracing Damascus safe-home networks and threats faced by Syria’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Heritage & Learning: Qatar Museums announced its June public programme in Doha, including family drop-ins and kids activities at the National Museum of Qatar and Islamic Art Museum. Culture & Film: Palestinian director Rakan Mayasi’s debut feature Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep screens as a poetic critique of revenge, centered on women’s sacrifice in the Bekaa Valley. Arts & Literature: Erbil opened the largest Kurdish book fair yet, bringing together 150 publishers from Kurdistan and beyond, including Syria and Türkiye.

Alawite Boycott Backlash: A new wave of calls to boycott Syria’s Alawites is spreading, with accusations tied to the post-Assad revenge campaign—sparking debate over whether collective punishment targets a whole minority. Tourism & Culture Security: Syria is setting up a Tourism Police unit to protect visitors and guide travel to designated sites, aiming to revive the battered tourism sector. Hassakeh Security Integration: Hassakeh plans to integrate over 9,000 Asayish personnel (including about 1,000 women) into the province’s official Internal Security Directorate, alongside broader education and border-related steps under a recent accord. Disarmament Spotlight in Damascus Countryside: Fierce clashes in Zakya near Damascus have left civilians injured by stray bullets, underlining fears about illicit weapons and pressure on internal security to curb small arms. Theatre & Identity: A Voices International Theatre and Arts Festival in New Jersey highlights global performances, including a spoof of Syrian soap operas and work exploring LGBTQ identity through an African perspective. Arts Funding: Farm Arts Collective received a $20,000 NEA America 250 grant to produce “Johnny Appleseed: An Historical Fantasia,” blending devised theatre with American history.

Heritage & Identity: Syria’s ancient Afamia has been added to ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage Lists, with officials highlighting its mosaic legacy and the need for protection. Culture & Tourism: Damascus is setting up a Tourism Police unit to guide visitors and secure routes as the country pushes new attractions and revives tourism. Security & Daily Life: In Damascus countryside’s Zakya, clashes between local families reignited fears over illicit weapons, with civilians hit by stray bullets as authorities move to disarm factions. Women & Integration: Hassakeh plans to integrate over 9,000 Asayish personnel into the province’s official security directorate, including about 1,000 women, following a Syrian-SDF accord. Justice & Accountability: Austria has begun a trial of former Syrian Baath officials accused of torture and mistreatment of detainees from 2011–2013, using universal jurisdiction. Arts & Community: Farm Arts Collective received a $20K NEA grant to stage “Johnny Appleseed: An Historical Fantasia,” continuing its Dream on the Farm series.

Heritage & Identity: Syria’s ancient Afamia (Apamea) has been added to ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage Lists, with officials highlighting its mosaic legacy and the value of international registration for protecting the site. Culture & Education: Syrian universities and research centers improved in a U.S.-based global ranking, with Damascus University leading nationally and Latakia and applied sciences among the top performers. Local Lifestyle: In al-Marah, the “Damask rose” tradition is back after better rainfall, but farmers warn that low prices and aging growers threaten the culture’s future. Community & Care: A mental-health and support push is emerging around Syria’s displaced and vulnerable, while in the wider region a new EU migration push toward faster deportations and overseas detention is drawing sharp criticism from rights groups. Arts & Exchange: The Arab Theatre Institute and Yinchuan’s scenography department renewed cooperation, framing the program as a bridge between Chinese culture and the Arab world. Investigations & Rights: A Syrian investigative report renews controversy over “The Sisters’ House,” alleging coercive isolation of girls and obstacles to family reunification under religious cover.

Syria After Assad, in focus: A new book review of Robin Yassin-Kassab’s The Blood Between Us looks at the emotional pull of “liberation and return,” but also calls out gaps in how the revolution’s origins and authoritarian continuities are explained. Druze province under strain: Another report zooms in on Suwayda, where decentralisation, accountability, and competing narratives collide—while central authorities and pro-government media frame Druze resistance through security lenses. School as a political battleground: A cultural analysis argues that education in Assad’s Syria trained loyalty and corruption skills, and asks what “reform” really means when the classroom is tied to everyday authority and the security state. Damask rose tradition at risk: In al-Marah, farmers say rainfall has revived harvests, but low prices and the aging workforce threaten the centuries-old Damask rose craft. Children and learning in war: A rights-focused piece highlights how conflict keeps targeting schools and children, leaving long-term trauma and lost education.

Cultural Heritage & Women’s Leadership: Princess Dana Firas opened “Portraits of Women – Beyond Stones” in Jordan, spotlighting women safeguarding heritage across the region and linking preservation to community resilience. Syrian Justice in Europe: A Vienna trial began for two former Syrian officials accused of torture in Raqqa (2011–2013); both pleaded not guilty, as Austria continues high-profile accountability cases. Syrian Displacement & Disaster: Heavy rains and Euphrates dam releases triggered severe flooding in eastern Syria, damaging homes, bridges, and farmland and hitting families in informal IDP camps. Syrians in the Migration Spotlight: A Bulgarian asylum discussion revisited claims of pushbacks, detention, humiliation, and sabotage of Syrian and Arabic-speaking applicants’ cases, with activists warning the system is hardening. Regional Flashpoint With Cultural Stakes: Israel’s seizure of Lebanon’s Beaufort Castle adds another layer to a centuries-old, multi-faith site—now tied to today’s war and its cultural symbolism.

Syrian Justice in Austria: A former Syrian general, Khaled al-Halabi, pleaded not guilty in Vienna to torture charges tied to Raqqa (2011–2013), alongside former police officer Musab Abu Rukbah, as the trial opens. University & Activism: A new debate piece argues universities are losing “academic courage” as student protests over the Israel–Palestine conflict pressure campuses to abandon open inquiry. Migration Pressure in Europe: The EU is tightening asylum rules ahead of June 12, with faster returns, more detention-like measures, and “return hubs,” while experts warn this will deepen hardship for people including Syrians. Lebanon’s Christian Survival: Church aid leaders say besieged Christian communities in Lebanon and Syria fear disappearance as Israel–Hezbollah fighting continues and daily life collapses. Culture & Community in Syria’s North-East: The Kurdistan Democratic Party–S culture and media office held a legal lecture in Qamishlo on Kurdish issues in international treaties and laws. Art in the Region: Türkiye’s Mardin Biennial 2026 (May 15–June 21) returns with contemporary art across disciplines, spotlighting the historic city as a creative hub.

Syrian Politics & Diplomacy: In a phone call with President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Trump discussed lifting remaining sanctions to unlock Syria’s economic recovery and reconstruction, while Iran said US talks and message exchanges are still ongoing. Justice & Accountability: Two former Assad-era officials—an ex-Syrian general and a senior police investigator—went on trial in Vienna over alleged torture of Raqqa detainees between 2011 and 2013. Cultural Heritage Under Pressure: Israel seized Lebanon’s Beaufort Castle (Qalʿat al-Shaqīf), a Crusader-era fortress with UNESCO-protected status, in the deepest Lebanon incursion in 26 years—raising fresh alarms about damage to historic sites. Community & Daily Life: A Lebanese brasserie concept is opening in London’s Notting Hill inside a restored 1930s bank, bringing Lebanese home-style flavors to a new audience. Human Stories: Austria’s court proceedings also spotlight Syrians accused of torture, while Uzbekistan’s “Mehr” repatriation program has returned hundreds of citizens from Syria and other war zones, with most being children integrated back into school.

Assad-era missing children: Syria’s Missing Persons commission says several children detained with Dr. Rania Al-Abbasi in 2013 are “most likely dead,” while it still seeks remains and burial locations. Kurdish representation in Syria’s new parliament: Reports say Kurdish groups split over the May vote—8 seats secured by Kurdish representatives, but the PYD boycotted while the KNC participated, raising fresh questions about northeast Syria’s political future. Syrian cultural life in the spotlight: A feature revisits “al-Hijini” folk singing in Hauran, tracing its camel-travel rhythms, rural poetry, and role in weddings and harvest journeys. Human stories of escape and identity: A cultural exchange profile follows a Syrian IT professional’s wartime escape and Ramadan resilience, framing survival as a lived, everyday narrative. Lebanon’s cultural landmarks under strain: Israel’s capture of Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon—once protected by UNESCO—puts historic heritage at the center of a widening conflict, with UNESCO-listed sites now facing renewed risk. War’s human cost: A separate report highlights families of Syrians abducted by Israel still seeking answers, keeping the focus on missing people and long-term trauma.

Flood Response in Syria: President Ahmad Al Sharaa visited Euphrates flood zones after days of mayhem, with evacuations and emergency relief ramping up in Deir Ezzor, Raqqa and Aleppo as thousands of families were affected and services disrupted. Missing Persons & Detention: Families of Syrians kidnapped by Israeli forces in southern Syria renewed demands for answers and releases, citing dozens of detainees and forced disappearances documented since late 2024. Extremist Symbolism in Damascus: Reported Taliban flags in Damascus sparked concern about the spread of Sunni extremist imagery and its potential impact on vulnerable youth. Heritage & Memory: A Sednayah prison survivor story highlights new mass-grave discoveries near Damascus, deepening psychological wounds as Syria continues its search for the missing. Cultural Life Abroad: Dublin’s Bloom Garden Festival is recreating a Syrian courtyard garden to evoke home for refugees resettling in Ireland, using design as a bridge back to peace. Community & Identity: A Glasgow school’s first multicultural fashion show included a Syrian-inspired outfit, spotlighting how children learn culture through creativity. Diaspora Politics: Yazidi Syrians in Australia say objections to returning “ISIS brides” are deeply personal, tied to trauma from ISIS attacks on Sinjar.

Humanitarian Response: Syria’s government rushed disaster relief after Euphrates flooding affected about 2,400 families in Deir Ezzor, with evacuations, temporary shelters, and aid like flour deliveries. Memory & Justice: A US-backed program is helping former Sednayah prison survivors rebuild after Syria’s ongoing discovery of mass graves near Damascus. Cultural Life: New York’s “Al-Qalam: Poets in the Park” monument honors the vanished Arabic-speaking “Little Syria” community and its literary heritage, sparking debate over whether the writers should be labeled Syrian. Heritage Tourism: Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep is aiming for 50,000 Eid al-Adha visitors, spotlighting Roman mosaics including the famous “Gypsy Girl.” Women & Learning: A piece on the importance of Muslim women’s scholarship highlights how women have long shaped Islamic knowledge through hadith and legal questions. Tech & Rights: Campaigners criticize AI facial scanning used to estimate asylum seekers’ ages, calling it discriminatory and unsafe.

Istanbul’s cultural politics: Two new books push back on the “old-meets-new” myth, arguing foreign reporting often misreads Turkey’s shift into a more authoritarian era. Lebanon TPS reprieve: The U.S. automatically extended Temporary Protected Status for about 11,000 Lebanese nationals, letting them stay and work longer as fighting continues in southern Lebanon. Cyprus-Lebanon ferry controversy: A Lebanese company advertised a Cyprus route (with possible links to Syria and Turkey) without clear permits, raising safety and legality concerns. Syrian refugee sex assault conviction (UK): A Syrian asylum seeker was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women in Falkirk within minutes of each other, in a case tied to protests around a migrant hotel. Lebanon Christians fear disappearance: Catholic aid workers report families in Lebanon and Syria feel trapped in a war they didn’t choose, with communities at risk of vanishing. Age checks for asylum claims: UK plans to use AI facial recognition to estimate the age of asylum seekers claiming to be children. Kurdish diplomacy push: A U.S. Kurdish advocacy group calls for a special envoy to coordinate policy across Iraq, Syria, Türkiye, and Iran. Pen League monument row: A New York monument for Arabic literary figures sparked debate over whether the writers should be labeled “Syrian,” prompting plaque changes.

Syrian media & culture: Veteran Al-Alam journalist Hossam Zeidan was killed in a building collapse in Sidon, a stark reminder of how war keeps swallowing the people documenting it. Humanitarian coordination: In Israel’s north, a Druze volunteer emergency centre says Sweida’s July 2025 crisis is still ongoing, with hundreds of volunteers delivering aid and tracking conditions across the border. Syria’s heritage & education: Syria added nine new sites to the ISESCO heritage list, while Damascus University plans a paperless library and an AI centre—both pointing to a push for cultural preservation and modern learning. Arts & design: Aleppo-born, UAE-raised artist Talin Hazbar builds installations from stones, sand and sea fragments, treating each material as a carrier of memory. Regional politics hitting daily life: Israel’s military moves to expand control in Gaza and strikes near Beirut as ceasefire talks loom—raising fears of more displacement and cultural loss across the Levant.

Damascus Nightlife Under Pressure: A new Damascus decree will ban alcohol service in the city starting mid-June, ending an era for bars and nightclubs that many residents say have long served as social refuge. Hajj & Eid al-Adha: More than 1.5 million pilgrims completed Hajj as Eid al-Adha began under extreme heat, with authorities urging hydration and safety amid regional strain. Gaza’s Cultural and Human Reality: A fresh Gaza-focused essay argues the world is failing to name what is happening, calling it genocide and criticizing media double standards. Heritage & Memory: A feature highlights Kirkuk’s Red Church (Church of Tahmazgerd), tracing its origins to early Christian persecution and the “Massacre of the Kirkuk Martyrs.” Film & Documentary Culture: Bologna’s Biografilm Festival returns (5–15 June) with 64 films, including premieres on identity, memory, and civil rights. Education & Inclusion: Syria’s education reform push includes plans for integrating Rojava teachers into the national system, alongside broader calls for mother-tongue schooling.

Humanitarian Crisis: Six people were rescued and four remain missing after a people-smuggling boat sank off Syria’s Tartous coast near al-Arida, with search operations continuing on Eid al-Adha. Eid & Community Life: Muslims across Syria and beyond marked Eid al-Adha with prayers and gatherings, including at the Sayyida Zaynab shrine in Syria, highlighting faith and coexistence amid regional conflict. Cultural Spotlight: A Cairo skincare legacy story, “Syra by Stephenson,” traces a family’s pharmacy roots from 1899 to a new brand built on craft and care. Fashion & Identity: New York’s Muslim mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked online buzz with an Arsenal-themed Eid outfit, reflecting how diaspora culture travels and reshapes traditions. Arts & Memory: A supernatural stage adaptation of Iran’s “Under the Shadow” uses djinn and fear to mirror political trauma and everyday survival. Regional Politics: Reports say Israel intensified strikes across Lebanon, while Hezbollah announced close-range clashes, underscoring how the wider conflict keeps spilling into daily life.