The two-day workshop brought together a focused cohort of civil society organisations active in the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), regional experts and researchers, and academics and activists from European universities and NGOs. To maximise inclusion, the workshop used a hybrid format and was conducted in English, Arabic, and Kurdish, enabling participants based in Syria to join remotely.
Sharing Research and Ground Realities
The workshop aimed to present and validate the ECO-Syria project’s preliminary findings and to examine shifting environmental and political dynamics in North and East Syria. Discussions sought to produce knowledge and practical recommendations for civil society, researchers, and policymakers, with a particular attention to farmers’ lived experiences and the obstacles they encounter.
On the first day, the ECO-Syria research team delivered a series of presentations, followed by contributions from the Ecology Council and Water Directorate of the Jazira Canton in DAANES. Two thematic sessions then examined how environmental agendas are being mapped and the operational difficulties NGOs face when implementing those agendas.
The second day concentrated on environmental politics and governance and on the interplay between geography and environmental processes. Participants contributed field-based knowledge using maps and engaged in collaborative exchanges with the research team to diagnose problems and propose measures for environmental protection and sustainable development.
A recurrent focus of the workshop was the relationship between DAANES and local farmers and the particular application of social ecology and democratic confederalism principles. Participants also considered the intermediary role of civil society organisations in addressing issues such as access to seeds, fertilisers, and agricultural extension services.
Looking Ahead
The workshop closed with a forward-looking dialogue on the future of environmental justice, democratic governance, peace, and sustainable development across the region. Insights and firsthand experiences gathered during the event will shape the ECO-Syria project’s final deliverables, including targeted policy recommendations to strengthen environmental democracy in North and East Syria and offer lessons applicable to Syria more broadly.