FAQs on Madaniya and Madaniya’s Conference
Who is Madaniya?
Madaniya is a Syrian-led, Syrian-funded initiative, independent of political and foreign influence, aimed at enhancing the political agency of the Syrian civic space. Our Mission is to protect our civic space and support the pioneering role of civil society in building Syria’s future. Our vision is for an inclusive, democratic and sovereign Syria, whose citizens are all equal under the rule of law. Madaniya mobilises Syrian civic actors inside Syria, as well as in neighbouring countries and the diaspora, around a shared set of rights-based values to organise within a unifying civic space that transcends divisions and fosters a sense of ownership and belonging. By capitalising on the collective resources, capacities, knowledge, and political influence of Syrian civic actors, Madaniya works to ensure a leading role for Syrians in Syria related decision- making processes on the local, regional, and international levels. After nearly two years of planning, Madaniya was officially launched in the beginning of 2023. By the time of the conference, It had boarded over 150 Syrian civil society organisations across different sectors and geographies to its constituency. Madaniya is a non-profit Limited by Guarantee Company incorporated with the Companies House in England and Wales as the Civil Society Network with company number: 14017708. It is governed by a Board of trustees that has delegated its entire authority to the Founding Board of Directors (BoD).Why was Madaniya created?
Today, after more than a decade since the 2011 uprising in Syria, we, Syrians, witness our country being torn into geopolitical divisions, ruled by de-facto authorities hijacked by regional and international powers. The political process to end the conflict remains deadlocked, normalisation efforts with the Assad regime are on the rise, the Syrian voice has been systematically excluded in discussions about, or efforts to resolve the conflict, and a genuine action from the international community to address this reality is lacking.
Hundreds of Syrian civil society organisations across all sectors have carried out gigantic efforts to help making invaluable contributions while maintaining the values of the Syrian uprising. Those organisations have the legitimacy, credibility, and expertise to be a counterpart in decision making processes related to Syria. By reclaiming political agency, Those organisations can assert their rightful role in shaping the future of the country, influencing its accountability, development, and political trajectories. What do you mean by reclaiming political agency?
Reclaiming political agency within the Syrian civic space, under the umbrella of Madaniya, does not imply an intention to replace the existing Syrian bodies engaged in the political processes outlined by UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Rather, it seeks to complement their efforts. The aim of reclaiming political agency is rooted in our belief that we, Syrian civic actors, have to actively participate in shaping all tracks that can lead to a political solution, as protected by the same UNSC Resolution. We are a value-based constituency working towards a state that upholds human rights, freedoms, and the rule of law. Our organisations are guided by this vision, and we strive to actively participate in decision-making platforms to ensure the actions of various political and international actors align with this vision.
We have invited the Syrian Negotiations Committee SNC to the conference as one of the key stakeholders in the Syrian file. The SNC is the only political entity invited given that it is an umbrella to other political groups and is the recognised political body for any political negotiations process. Inviting the SNC is to send a clear message that Madaniya is a purely civic initiative that works with all political and international actors to ensure their efforts abide by our values.
What is the membership process for Madaniya?
Madaniya welcomes all Syrian civic actors who align with its values within and outside Syria, encompassing diverse sectors and geographic locations, including humanitarian and human rights civil society organisations, grassroots entities, cultural and professional associations, victims' groups, unions, syndicates, think tanks, media outlets, and, in due course, individuals.
In order to maintain its independence, Madaniya operates a membership-based financial model that allows it in the long run to remain financially self-sustained. Members are expected to pay annual membership fees based on their size and capacity. Membership fees range between $100 and $10K per annum and are designed to take into account the different capacities and realities of different organisations. However, membership fees are not tied to decision-making powers. All members of Madaniya enjoy equal rights to benefit from its services and shape its plans. Organisations interested in joining Madaniya can submit a simple membership request through our website.
Why is Madaniya’s inaugural conference taking place in France?
Today, nearly half of the Syrian population is forcibly displaced. Inside the country, Syrians live in different geopolitical divisions ruled by different de-facto authorities. Outside the country, Syrian refugees are scattered in neighbouring countries and around the world. They all face challenges related to freedom of movement.
Representatives of Syrian civil society organisations are no strangers to this reality. With a state of displacement on this massive scale, and given the rise of anti-refugees and anti-migrants sentiment in multiple countries, and the extremely restricted conditions governing mobility of refugees around the world, the search for a meeting place that can welcome representatives of these organisations from within and outside Syria was an impossible task.
After careful considerations of multiple cities in the region and around the world, Paris was chosen as a place for our inaugural conference. Paris presented the best opportunity to welcome Syrians from inside Syria’s multiple geopolitical divisions, neighbouring countries, and diaspora countries, particularly given the French Government’s support in facilitating the visa processes for Syrian applicants to enter France.
Is the Madaniya Conference co-sponsored by France?
The conference is NOT co-sponsored by France. It is entirely Syrian led, organised, and funded. Madaniya received a seed funding grant from the Asfari Foundation for its inception years. This year, Madaniya received a match-funding grant from the Asfari foundation to complement its member’s contributions. We hope that in the next year or so, Madaniya can be entirely financially self-sustained through its membership fees. The cost of the conference was fully covered by Madaniya including the cost of renting the venues of the Institute de monde Arabe. The French government supported the logistical facilitation of the visa processes for tens of Syrian applicants in order to allow as many civil society organisations as possible to be represented in the inaugural conference.
Why does this conference need to take place now? What is this conference calling for?
Madaniya has been in the making for the past couple of years, with founding board members shaping its strategic vision and governance matters. Early this year (2023), Madaniya started mobilising Syrian civil society organisations to join its movement. Today, over 150 organisations have come together under the umbrella of Madaniya. Our inaugural conference is where we are officially launching this collective effort, reclaiming our agency and calling for our rightful role to be recognised as counterparts in all decision-making related to Syria, including on the political level.
Our inaugural conference is a significant event particularly at this critical time given the surging normalisation trends with the Assad Regime. By bringing together key representatives of Syrian civil society organisations who believe in its values, Madaniya seeks to establish an alternative trajectory of how the future of Syria may unfold, respecting democracy, accountability, and human rights. It will send a very strong message against normalisation, and a statement of recognition to the great efforts of the Syrian civic actors who are still fighting for a democratic and peaceful future of their country.
Why is Day 1 of the conference closed?
Day 1 of the conference is designed as a workshop meeting allowing civil society organisations coming under the umbrella of Madaniya to collectively set priorities and means of their collaborative work ahead in pursuance of the shared vision. It serves as a starting point for members and those interested in joining to collectively shape the future plans of Madaniya in accordance with their realities, needs, and perspectives.
There are many attempts and initiatives to create alliances between Syrian civil society organisations. What is new that Madaniya proposes?
Rightfully there have been multiple attempts to create networks and alliances bringing together Syrian civil society organisations for multiple reasons. Some have sadly diminished, but many are actively leading gigantic efforts. Most of these have a clear mandate to coordinate amongst organisations working in the same sector (i.e., humanitarian, advocacy, etc.) or same geographies (i.e., Northeast Syria, Northwest Syria, US, UK, diaspora networks, etc.). Some are Syrian led, but many are organised by international actors (international NGOs, UN, UNOSE, etc.).
Despite the immense work of these initiatives, the Syrian voice remains systematically excluded in decision-making platforms. In the best cases, there are consultative processes engaging Syrians in some of these platforms. The accessibility and transparency of these processes, however, can be questioned.
Madaniya is an attempt to bring all civic actors and organisations under one umbrella to reclaim the political agency of the Syrian civic space, and the ownership of how Syrians are engaged in the decision-making of their country. It builds on the massive efforts of other Syrian-led networks and coalitions, aiming to complement and amplify their roles rather than replacing them. It seeks to fill-in gaps in the current efforts, by fostering a conducive environment for further collaborations.
Madaniya does not aim to represent members or change their structures. Rather, it strives to mobilise members within a rights-based constituency to elevate their presence o and introduces them as genuine counterparts in decision-making processes related to Syria, making all efforts to strengthen their efficiency along the way.