About civil society mechanisms and advocacy campaigns

Syrian civil society and advocacy campaigns have played an important role in recent years since 2011, whether in creating qualified cadres for political work, or in filling the deficit caused by the war and changing the de facto authorities in the Syrian territories in meeting primary services, or even in rehabilitating local communities in various fields. It was often absent from it before the outbreak of the Syrian revolution.

Accordingly, in her third session, NESWA act-1 met with Ms Christin Lüttich from Adobt a Revolution e.V. Germany, to discuss the mechanisms of civil society work and advocacy campaigns.

Ms Christin Lüttich introduced Adopt a Revolution e.V. and gave an introduction to concepts of sustainable self-organization and forms, internal-organizational solidarity and connection to the work objectives. The participants discussed the concepts and their advantages and disadvantages. Through an interactive activity, the participants shared their previous understanding of publicity and campaign work, and learned the differences between the two approaches, connection with the identity of the organization, including the visual identity.

The participants in an open discussion talked about the Syrian experience in the field of non-governmental organizations, and personal experiences in this context, referring to strengths and weaknesses, and revealing the reasons for the failure or continuation of some experiences.

The session ended with an open discussion about the Syrian situation and what civil society organizations and actors in this context can present to improve these conditions, or try to change them, and what forms can be worked through to achieve any results in the countries of asylum and influence their governments to serve the Syrian cause.