Samih Choukir: Syrians aspire for change beyond one-color rule

A press conference for the artist Samih Choukir was held at the Mohammed Sheikho Center for Culture and Art in the city of Qamishlo, attended by numerous media outlets. During the event, Choukir spoke about his visit to the regions of North and East Syria and expressed his happiness at participating in the 2025 Nowruz celebrations.

During the conference, Choukir described the experience of women in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria as an "exceptional model to be followed," praising the remarkable attention given to the role of women in society. He affirmed that this experience reflects the sophistication of the society.

In response to a question from ANHA agency’s correspondent about the aspirations of the Syrian people after the fall of the Ba'ath regime and the extent to which Damascus’s current policies meet these hopes, Choukir stated that the current situation in Syria does not meet the people's aspirations. He expressed his hope for opening a new chapter to build Syria hand in hand with all national forces.

He added: "We have always wished to build Syria differently after the fall of the regime, but the current reality reflects an ideological reference that continues to exclude others and is dominated by a one-color mindset." He pointed to how the authorities are currently handling other Syrian parties, citing examples from the Syrian coast, as well as how they are dealing with parties in eastern Euphrates, Daraa, and As-Suwayda, in addition to the recent "constitutional declaration."

Samih Choukir called for changing the current policies to include all Syrians without exclusion, stressing the importance of openness and mutual dialogue as a means to achieve real change.

He added: "It is necessary to search for common ground to start a genuine and comprehensive national dialogue. However, continuing the current approach will deepen the divide and create broader opposition to these policies," referring to Syria’s potential return to square one with the transformation of the Syrian revolution into a crisis.

Choukir mentioned that he had met with several leaders of the Autonomous Administration, including the Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi. He expressed his satisfaction with the frank discussions that addressed the vision of the Autonomous Administration, which distances itself from the language of violence and is genuinely committed to contributing to the building of a new Syria. He affirmed that the administration does not seek isolation or secession but aims to build a united homeland that guarantees the rights of all its components.

Choukir emphasized the importance of recognizing the cultural and linguistic rights of all Syrian communities as a guarantee for Syria’s unity. He said: "It is natural for Syrians to defend their cultural and linguistic rights. This is essential for achieving Syria’s structural unity, and everyone should be able to express these rights."

Samih Choukir is scheduled to conclude his visit to the regions of North and East Syria with a meeting with the leaders of the Women's Protection Units and a visit to the Martyr Dalil Sarokhan Cemetery in Qamishlo.

A-H

ANHA