President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Nasr al-Hariri, on Wednesday participated in a symposium on the mechanisms of advocacy and communication and the role of youth in it along with academics and experts in the fields of communication and advocacy. The symposium was organized by the non-governmental organization “Step Forward.”
Al-Hariri stressed the importance of the youth’s role in mobilization and advocacy for the Syrian revolution, especially ten years after the start of the revolution, and the Assad regime and its allies’ attempts to discredit the revolution.
Al-Hariri expressed the SOC’s willingness to support youth and advocacy groups, and to provide the required support, especially in media activities.
He stressed the importance of advocacy and the diversity of methods of mobilization and support mechanisms. He said there are two urgent issues that should be advocated: Strategic issues that generally affect the region, including issues of democratization, confronting tyranny and ways to build a state based on democratic foundations, and confronting the Assad regime at all levels, including the farcical elections that it intends to hold.
Al-Hariri added: “The second issue is connection with the land and the preservation of identity as millions of Syrians have been forced to leave their homes due to the brutality of the Assad regime. There must be persistent and continuous efforts and networking of efforts and initiatives in order to preserve the identity, the language and the justice of the cause for which the Syrian people revolted it and draw the correct image for it in the minds of the new generation and among the peoples hosting Syrians around the world.
Al-Hariri gave an example on advocacy, which is through the challenge that the Syrian people will face after three months about the UN resolution to extend the mandate for the delivery of humanitarian aid against which Russia and China have repeatedly used their veto powers. He indicated that the humanitarian situation in northern Syria needs advocacy and the mobilization of efforts in order to continue the introduction of aid through crossings outside the control of the Assad regime.
He concluded his remarks by stressing hope in the youth who were behind the outbreak of the revolution and its continuation as well its victory. (Source: SOC’s Media Department)
