How does peace and conflict contribute
on changing Communities?
By: Dana Abbara
What is conflict?
A conflict is a situation in which unacceptable differences in interests, expectations, values,
and opinions occur in or between individuals or groups.
Which could sometimes cause war.
A Big example is Syria
Let's start with conflict,
How did the conflict contribute on changing Communities in Syria?
1. Displacement and Population Shifts:
Internal Displacement:
The conflict has led to massive internal displacement, with millions of Syrians forced to leave
their homes and seek refuge within the country.
Refugee Crisis:
Syria's conflict has also created one of the largest refugee crises in modern history, with millions
of Syrians fleeing to neighboring countries and beyond.
Impact on Urban Areas:
Unbalanced urban growth, partly due to the presence of internally displaced persons (IDPs),
presents significant challenges for major cities.
Environmental Degradation:
The influx of displaced populations has led to significant land degradation and erosion, as well
as environmental pollution.
2. Economic and Social Impact:
Economic Collapse:
The conflict has devastated the Syrian economy, leading to a sharp decline in GDP, high
unemployment, and widespread poverty.
Infrastructure Destruction:
Many of the nation's roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals have been destroyed or damaged,
limiting essential services.
Food Insecurity:
The conflict has disrupted food systems and infrastructure, leading to soaring food prices and
widespread hunger.
Humanitarian Crisis:
The conflict has created a massive humanitarian crisis, with millions of Syrians in need of
urgent assistance.
Changes in Gender Roles:
Some evidence suggests that the conflict has led to changes in gender roles, with women taking
on more prominent roles in the workforce and in decision-making.
Rise of Local Conflicts:
In light of the continuous national war, raising poverty and poor education, local and regional
conflicts are on the rise, especially among most vulnerable communities such as displaced
people in camps.
And here is what happed in Syria that is the conflict that caused in changing the Communities.
The Syrian Civil War.
When did the civil war start?
The Syrian Civil War officially began on March 15, 2011. It started when people in the city of
Daraa protested against the government. They were angry because a group of teenagers had
written slogans on school walls calling for freedom and change. These teens were arrested and
tortured by the government. This made people furious. The protests started small but grew
bigger every day. People wanted more freedom, democracy, and fair treatment from the
government. But instead of listening, the government used violence to stop them.
What really happened?
March–April 2011: The Spark
March 15, 2011: Peaceful protests began in Daraa. People were upset over the arrest and torture
of teenagers who had painted anti-government graffiti. These protests were inspired by the Arab
Spring.
March 18, 2011: Security forces opened fire on protesters, killing several people. This caused
more protests across the country.
Late March 2011: Protests spread to other cities like Homs, Hama, and Damascus.
April 2011: Thousands of people marched through the streets asking for change, justice, and
freedom. The government continued to use violence, and many people were arrested or killed.
May–December 2011: The Fight Begins
Protesters began defending themselves. Some soldiers in the Syrian army quit and joined the
people. They formed a new group called the Free Syrian Army (FSA) to fight the government.
July 2011: Violence increased. The government used tanks and heavy weapons to attack cities
like Hama and Deir ez-Zor. Many civilians died.
The United States and European countries began to criticize the Syrian government. They asked
President Bashar al-Assad to step down and started putting sanctions (punishments) on Syria.
2012: The War Grows Bigger
The war spread to almost every part of Syria. Different rebel groups formed. Some fought for
democracy, others had their own ideas.
Extremist groups, like Jabhat al-Nusra (linked to al-Qaeda), joined the war, making things even
more dangerous.
Cities were divided. In some cities, rebels controlled certain areas while the government
controlled others.
2013: Chemical Weapons and Global Attention
August 2013: A chemical attack happened in the town of Ghouta near Damascus. Hundreds of
people died, including children. The world was shocked.
The U.S. and Russia made a deal with Syria to remove its chemical weapons, but fighting
continued.
2014: Rise of ISIS
ISIS, a dangerous extremist group, grew powerful and took over large parts of eastern Syria and
Iraq.
ISIS declared its own government (a “caliphate”) in Raqqa, Syria.
The U.S. and other countries began bombing ISIS positions in Syria.
2015: Russia Joins the War
Russia began supporting the Syrian government with airstrikes. This helped Assad stay in power.
Russia said it was fighting terrorists, but many of their bombs hit civilians and rebel groups who
weren’t extremists.
2016: Aleppo Falls
The battle for Aleppo was one of the bloodiest in the war. It lasted months.
By the end of 2016, the Syrian army had taken back the whole city, with help from Russia and
Iran.
Thousands of civilians were trapped and killed. The city was left in ruins.
2017–2018: The War Slows Down
In 2017, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) took back Raqqa from ISIS.
ISIS began to lose land, but small attacks continued.
Syria became divided into zones: Government-controlled areas, rebel-held areas, Kurdish
areas, and some ISIS-controlled areas.
Peace talks happened in places like Geneva and Astana, but they didn’t stop the fighting.
2019–2023: Stalemate and Suffering
The war didn’t fully stop, but fighting slowed down.
Millions of Syrians were still living in refugee camps or had moved to other countries like Turkey,
Jordan, and Germany.
Bombings still happened in places like Idlib, the last big area controlled by rebels.
Late 2024: The Final Battles
November 27, 2024: Rebel groups, led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched a huge surprise
attack on government forces in Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Idlib.
November 28–29: Government and Russian warplanes hit back with airstrikes. But rebel fighters
entered Aleppo for the first time in 8 years.
November 30–December 6: Rebels pushed into Hama, Homs, and reached the gates of
Damascus.
December 7, 2024: The government started to collapse. People inside Damascus began to flee.
December 8, 2024: Rebels entered Damascus and took control. President Bashar al-Assad
escaped the city. The war was officially over after 14 years, 2 weeks, and 3 days.
After the War: New Problems
December 2024–January 2025: A temporary government was formed. Mohammed al-Bashir
became the prime minister. HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu Mohammed al-Jolani) became
the interim president.
Some groups still didn’t accept this new leadership. Minorities like the Alawites and Druze were
worried.
In April 2025, Israel launched airstrikes on Syria, worried about Turkey’s growing role in the
country.
---
How long was it? When did it end?
Before Bashar al-Assad he's father was the president in 1970s which was also A problem.
The war lasted for 14 years, 2 weeks, and 3 days.
It started on March 15, 2011, and officially ended on December 8, 2024, when rebels captured
Damascus and the Assad government collapsed. While fighting in some areas may still happen,
this date marks the official end of the civil war.
---
How was the people’s experience through the situation?
The war was deeply painful for the Syrian people.
Over 1000,000 people were killed.
Millions lost their homes and had to live in tents, camps, or move to other countries.
Many children lost their parents. Many parents lost their children.
Schools were destroyed. Hospitals were bombed.
People lived without food, water, electricity, or medicine.
Fear became a part of everyday life.
People suffered emotionally, physically, and mentally. Even after the war, many still live in pain.
---
How did it change them?
People became more cautious, more tired, and more focused on survival.
Children grew up with war, not knowing peace.
Many became refugees in foreign countries.
Families were broken apart.
Some lost hope, while others held on to dreams of a better future.
Almost every Syrian carry scars—on the outside, or deep inside.
---
How did communities change because of the civil war in Syria?
Before the war, Syrians of different religions and backgrounds lived together. But the war
changed that:
Some neighbourhoods became only one group. Others were destroyed completely.
Trust between communities was lost. People were afraid of others they used to live beside.
Whole villages and towns disappeared.
The war caused division, fear, and separation.
---
What did it leave behind?
Destroyed cities like Aleppo, Homs, and Raqqa.
A weak economy—many people don’t have jobs or homes.
Refugee camps filled with millions of Syrians.
Emotional wounds that will take years to heal.
A country that needs to rebuild not only its buildings, but also its heart.
Here are questions that have been asked about Syria situation in the civil War which is found
Answers for;
Question: What sparked the conflict in Syria?
Answer: The Syrian Civil War began in 2011 with pro-democracy protests during the Arab Spring,
which were violently suppressed by the government of President Bashar al-Assad, escalating
into a full-blown civil war between Assad's forces and various opposition groups.
Question: Who are the main players in the Syrian conflict?
Answer: The Syrian government (led by Bashar al-Assad), various rebel groups, including the
Free Syrian Army, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra), and Kurdish forces (Syrian
Democratic Forces), as well as foreign actors like Iran, Russia, have all played significant roles.
Question: What are the impacts of the Syrian Civil War on the Syrian people?
Answer: The conflict has caused widespread displacement, with millions of Syrians becoming
refugees or internally displaced, and the country's economy has been devastated, with a
significant decline in GDP and rising unemployment.
Question: What are the ongoing challenges in Syria?
Answer: Despite some periods of ceasefire, localized violence continues, and the country faces
a severe financial crisis, with rising food prices and economic sanctions exacerbating the
humanitarian situation.
Now let's Talk About peace.
What is peace?
Peace is generally understood as a state of tranquillity, freedom from conflict or disturbance,
and harmony, encompassing both inner calm and external order and security. Peace is a state
of harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a societal sense, peace is commonly
used to mean a lack of conflict and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or
groups.
Building peace within Syrian communities
Community leaders across Syria are taking action to manage the impact of conflict and prevent
violence. They are negotiating ceasefires and truces, working to secure the release of prisoners
or deceased family members, mediating local disputes, and working to maintain intercommunal relations by promoting coexistence between different ethnic and religious groups.
These community leaders are able to mobilise their communities around local peace processes
because of the ‘peace capital’ that they hold, based on a sense of legitimacy in their
communities, access to a wide range of relationships, and a problem-solving approach.
The local mechanisms used by community leaders to promote peace include traditional / tribal
structures, religious arbitration bodies and independent civic courts / mediators, as well as
specialised local Peace Committees. These community leaders, and the mechanisms through
which they work to manage conflict, represent significant ‘peace resources’ in Syria, with a pThe
local mechanisms used by community leaders to promote peace include traditional / tribal
structures, religious arbitration bodies and independent civic courts / mediators, as well as
specialised local Peace Committees. These community leaders, and the mechanisms through
which they work to manage conflict, represent significant ‘peace resources’ in Syria, with a
proven ability to reconnect severed community relations, reach across conflict lines and initiate
local dialogue. As such, if properly supported, these Peace resources could also make a
significant contribution to national peace processes andpolitical negotiations.
This report describes the work of
the community leaders at the
forefront of efforts to build peace
in Syria, and the mechanisms that
they use. It also provides an
agenda for how to better support
these ‘peace resources’, so they
can make a stronger contribution
both locally and to national
peace processes.
A bit of reference
Building peace within Syrian communities
This report documents the results of a mapping of
local peace resources in Syria, conducted between
December 2013 and February 2014 and tested in a
Dialogue Forum in March 2014. More information on
the mapping process is provided in the methodology
section at the back of the report.
This project is funded by the United Kingdom’s
Conflict Prevention Pool. The contents of the report
are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the United Kingdom.roven ability to reconnect severed
community relations, reach across
conflict lines and initiate local dialogue. As such, if properly supported, these
peace resources could also make a significant contribution to national
peace processes and political negotiations.
This report describes the work of
the community leaders at the
forefront of efforts to build peace
in Syria, and the mechanisms that
they use. It also provides an
agenda for how to better support
these ‘peace resources’, so they
can make a stronger contribution
both locally and to national
peace processes.
Building peace within Syrian communities
This report documents the results of a mapping of
local peace resources in Syria, conducted between
December 2013 and February 2014 and tested in a
Dialogue Forum in March 2014. More information on
the mapping process is provided in the methodology
section at the back of the report.
This project is funded by the United Kingdom’s
Conflict Prevention Pool. The contents of the report
are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the United Kingdom.
Now i will give u a pdf of some info
Contact information
Peaceful change
The Peaceful Change initiative is a not-for-profit network,
registered in the UK, with operations in North Africa, the
Middle East and the South Caucasus. We work to support
more effective management of conflict in societies undergoing significant change, by increasing skills and opportunities for dialogue, inclusion and collaboration.
Hub Islington
5 Torrens St
London, EC1V 1NQ
info@peacefulchange.org
www.peacefulchange.org
Center for civil Society and Democracy in Syria.
The Center for Civil Society and Democracy in Syria
seeks to support and strengthen civil society and democracy, and promote the values of freedom, justice
and coexistence through the analysis of the current
situation and developing and implementing solutions.
Ordu Caddesi
Gazientep
Turkey
info@ccsdsyria.org
www.ccsdsyria.org
An agenda for supporting Syrian peace resources
1. Ensure support is Syrian-led and tailored to the
realities in each area:
a. support for a specific area must be led by Syrian
organisations that operate in it, or have a good
understanding of local dynamics
b. support should be tailored to the specific context
in each region, including conflict dynamics and
existing peace resources.
2. Assist collaboration by peace resources on longterm strategic action:
a. support forums that bring together peace
resources from different areas, and that
increase their capacity to act strategically
b. ensure collaboration between peace resources
is developed gradually, so that trust can be
developed across divides.
3. Increase understanding of inclusive consultation
and human rights:
a. strengthen peace resources’ capacity to run
inclusive consultation processes, which also give
women and girls a voice in decision-making
b. strengthen peace resources’ capacity to apply
human rights principles in their work.
4. Identify innovative ways of protecting peace
resources:
a. organisations who presently support peacebuilding in Syria should develop a shared plan
for how they will act to reduce the threats
faced by local peace resources
b. take action to explain the important work of
civil society as peace resources in existing
communication / advocacy activities.
5. Support peace resources both inside and outside
Syria, especially:
a. take action to support peace resources that
reduce tensions inside refugee communities
b. connect peacebuilding activities inside Syria
with refugee communities.
6. Increase the coherence of external support:
a. establish mechanisms for joint analysis and
strategic planning between Syrian CSOs and
their international CSO partners
b. provide structured dialogue between Syrian
actors and their international government
partners on how donor support can be more
flexible to ongoing changes on the ground.
My idea about conflict in Syria that was caused by the Old president Bashar al-Assad.
This war was all caused by Assad trying to keep he's horrible government this all started 1970 till
2024 about 54 years of pain, fear, and stealing of money and feul. This all was started by the
president Hafiz al Assad the father of the Devil basher al Assad.
Now my idea about peace that was caused by Ahmed al-sharaa
I'm happy that there is some peace that is gonna happen in Syria in the future I hope my country
goes back to being nice like before 1970s and even better.