On July 19 anniversary, SDC says building new Syria requires partnership, decentralization, dialogue

The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) issued a statement on Sunday marking the anniversary of the July 19 Revolution, saying: "The anniversary of the July 19 Revolution comes at a pivotal time as Syria passes through a critical phase that requires national approaches capable of overcoming the legacy of years of conflict and moving toward the construction of a state founded on partnership, justice, and the rule of law."

The council added that "this occasion serves as an opportunity to reflect on an experience that sought to present a model of community-based governance and partnership among Syria's diverse components, based on the firm conviction that lasting stability in Syria can only be achieved through an inclusive national project embracing all its people, and that the July 19 Revolution presented a Syrian democratic project founded on pluralism, partnership, and shared responsibility, rather than one serving a single component at the expense of others. Over the past years the experience has contributed to expanding the participation of Syria's diverse communities in public administration, strengthening the role of women in decision-making positions, building local institutions rooted in the will of society, and promoting a culture of co-existence and mutual respect as a cornerstone of stability and development."

The council stressed that building a new Syria requires a national consensus based on constitutional and political foundations that ensure genuine representation for all Syrians, safeguard rights and freedoms, and recognize the country's rich diversity. It added that overcoming centralization and exclusion, while adopting decentralization as a framework that strengthens state unity and brings governance closer to citizens, is indispensable to building more effective and equitable institutions.

The Syrian Democratic Council further stated that "lasting stability can only be achieved through responsible national dialogue, partnership among all political forces and societal components, and mutual recognition. Such an approach would pave the way for political solutions that reinforce Syria's unity and sovereignty while laying the foundations for a state of equal citizenship, in which all Syrians share equal rights and responsibilities without discrimination or marginalization."

The council concluded its statement by calling for the anniversary of the July 19 Revolution to serve as a national occasion to strengthen understanding among Syrians, draw on experiences that have fostered the values of participation and pluralism, and promote joint efforts toward a future worthy of Syria and its people, a future founded on democracy, justice, and the rule of law, one that safeguards human dignity and embraces diversity as a source of strength and unity for all Syrians.