A group of Syrian intellectuals and political figures launched a new initiative on Wednesday titled the “Syrian Centennial Initiative,” marking the 100th anniversary of the Great Syrian Revolt. The move comes in the wake of what they described as a “national catastrophe” following the recent violence in Sweida.
In their founding statement, the signatories accused the “Syrian interim authority” of mishandling the crisis through unilateral decision-making and an overreliance on security solutions—an approach they say has escalated sectarian tensions and endangered national unity. They cited not only the Sweida events but also earlier incidents in Syria’s coastal regions and the bombing of Mar Elias Church as evidence of the government’s failure to maintain civil peace.
The initiative outlines a set of urgent demands, including:
- An immediate ceasefire in Sweida and compensation for affected civilians.
- Disarmament of all factions in favour of the new state.
- The formation of an independent investigative committee under local and international legal supervision.
- Amendments to the current constitutional declaration.
- A comprehensive national Syrian conference within three months.
- Enforcement of laws criminalising hate speech.
- Dissolution of the current Committee for Civil Peace and the formation of a new one.
- Creation of a permanent crisis management committee.
- Establishment of a military council to rebuild the Syrian army.
The signatories stated that the initiative seeks to “revive popular momentum following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 and redirect Syrian energies toward building a democratic civil state founded on citizenship and justice.”
Over 200 Syrian figures signed the statement, including prominent names such as George Sabra, Ahmad Barqawi, Jamal Suleiman, Abdel Hakim Quteifan, Fares Helou, Fayez Sara, Fadel Abdul Ghani, Michel Shammas, Yehya Aridi, and Eyad Sharbaji.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
