The 5th Syria Forum, organized by the Democratic Union Party (PYD) under the slogan “Manifesto for Peace and a Democratic Society – The Guarantee for Building a Modern Syria,” is taking place in Hesekê.
The forum sees the participation of 120 politicians, intellectuals, academics, women’s organizations, and tribal representatives from North and East Syria, as well as representatives from Damascus, Aleppo, and coastal regions.
The forum will be held in four sessions;
▪ The general political situation in Syria and the region, including regional agendas;
▪ An assessment of developments since the collapse of the Baath regime;
▪ The role of Abdullah Öcalan’s “Call for Peace and Democratic Society”;
▪ Prospects for a sustainable peace process and a democratic solution to the Syrian crisis.
The forum will conclude with a final declaration.
PYD Co-Chair Xerîb Hiso emphasized in his opening speech that a democratic solution was the only way out for Syria.
Hiso drew attention to the importance of unity and solidarity among peoples, describing Abdullah Öcalan’s “Call for Peace and Democratic Society” as a realistic way out of the crisis.
Hiso assessed the March 10 agreement between the SDF and the interim government as a strategic roadmap for building a modern and decentralized Syria.
Noting that the forum coincided with the 22nd anniversary of the PYD’s founding, Hiso said, “Our party was founded during one of the most difficult periods in our country’s history. We went through tough times, but our resistance was the greatest proof of the sincerity of our struggle.”
In the first session, Hisên Osman, Co-Chair of the Democratic Autonomous Administration Executive Council, shared his assessment of the political situation in the Middle East.
Osman stated that signs of a third world war were visible in the region, emphasizing that nationalist and political Islam projects had failed and that, as an alternative, the democratic nation project put forward by Abdullah Öcalan offered a solution that united the peoples.
Osman noted that the experience of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria demonstrated the success of the democratic nation project and could serve as an example for all of Syria.
Speaking in the second session, international relations activist Dr. Ebir Selman drew attention to the fragility of the process following the overthrow of the Baath regime.
Selman stated that armed groups gained power with the collapse of state institutions, while foreign interventions harmed Syria, and the economic crisis increased public anger.
Selman said that Turkey, which made the greatest contribution to the transitional government, wanted to strengthen its sovereignty in the border regions, while Russia continued its intervention in the Syrian file.
The participants pointed out that the “Manifesto for Peace and a Democratic Society” served as a guide for building a democratic future for the Syrian people, and that women took on a leading role in this process.