"Beyond Covid-19: no respite for Syria?"

Live stream on Friday 1 May 2020, at 19.00 GMT+1 (Brussels time)


 
In this particular time, everyone’s eyes are on the COVID-19 emergency – rightfully so. The emergency presents us with new challenges, which have a deep impact on global politics and society. While our daily lives may feel like they are somewhat "on hold", human rights violations have not been suspended:  on the contrary, they may even intensify due to the implications of this pandemic. 
 
Therefore, we decided to organise a weekly panel discussion to not forget about important human rights issues, bringing them directly to peoples' houses through easily accessible social media.  

 

This week's "Beyond COVID-19" broadcast , organised in collaboration with the Euro-Syrian Democratic Forum (ESDF), will be : “No respite for Syria?”.  The Syrian conflict has been going on for nine years.  In the last months, after the offensive on Idlib, a ceasefire between Russia and Turkey was signed; however, geopolitical interests keep Syria in the hotspot of a lasting proxy war in which war crimes have been committed, such as the bombing of civilian facilities and, allegedly, the use of chemical weapons. Now, the COVID-19 emergency exacerbates an already critical situation for Syrian civilians.
 
This episode will feature:

  • Hiba Alhaji - Executive Director, Equity and Empowerment and human rights advocate from Idlib
  • Hosam Hafez - Academic, lawyer and ex-diplomat
  • Klemens Semtner - Senior Syria Advisor, German Federal Foreign Office, based in Istanbul
  • Raheb Alwany – ENT doctor and human rights defender from Raqqa
  • Chair:  Hussein Sabbagh - Secretary General of Euro-Syrian Democratic Forum

 
The live stream is on Friday 1 May 2020, at 19.00 GMT+1 (Brussels time). 
 
Links to NPWJ's social media pages, on which the episode will be broadcast: