After that terrible morning of February 6, 2023, when a violent earthquake – magnitude 7.9 – struck Syria and Turkey, causing many thousands of deaths, injuries and missing, and countless collapses of homes and structures, the AMU has continued to tirelessly support the Syrian population to accompany them in their physical and emotional recovery.
Our closeness to the Syrian people
That earthquake was only the latest in a series of disasters that had struck Syria, a country already ravaged for years by war, embargoes, and a severe economic crisis.
With the R.I.S.E. program , AMU (together with the Emergency Coordination of the Focolare Movement and AFN) has since provided concrete and constant support to the most vulnerable people to generate hope for recovery.
She brought jeans to the young residents of an orphanage in the city of Latakia; distributed clothing bonuses for the purchase of clothes for the children of Aleppo; provided work kits to young professionals who found themselves without the means to practice their profession; renovated homes damaged by the earthquake; ensured that the children of Baniyas could eat healthy meals to prevent malnutrition; delivered necessary medications to elderly people with chronic diseases; and even installed invaluable domestic batteries in their homes, ensuring a safe and healthy living environment during the many hours of power outages.
In short, a series of actions that have concretely improved the lives of the most vulnerable people who also had to deal with the earthquake emergency.
One more step forward to look beyond
The latest action, in chronological order, carried out by the R.I.S.E. program in Syria was launched in mid-July. What is it? A series of training sessions held in the cities of Aleppo and Homs on the theme “Active Citizenship – Raising Awareness and Activating Community Engagement.”
Profound social, political, and economic changes are once again shaping the Syrian community. These sessions aim to strengthen the concept of active citizenship , considered a key lever for building a cohesive society and a more stable future.
Through an interactive approach that combines theory and the exchange of experiences with expert trainers, the course offers participants—young men and women—the opportunity to explore the core values of citizenship and a sense of belonging to their country . The activity includes moments of analysis of the historical and current context of Syrian society, promoting constructive dialogue, intellectual debate, and the rediscovery of the role of the individual in social transformation.
A call to action for young people
The project represents a true call to action: an invitation to young people to rediscover themselves, their community, and the true meaning of shared values.
The goal is to foster a mature awareness that translates into active engagement and concrete participation in the social and civic life of these young people in “their” Syria.
The initiative was born from a careful assessment of the community’s real needs, conducted by the R.I.S.E. project team in collaboration with the Semi di Speranza office.
With this first step, we want to lay the foundations for cultivating a new generation of aware citizens , capable of contributing positively to the future of Syria.