Noting their neutrality during the uprising and their reluctance to be involved in armed conflicts, he said Syrian Christians had been subject to taxes by armed groups and had the Kurdish language forced on them by the apparently secular Syrian Democratic Forces.
“The SDF imposed learning Kurdish in their areas of control and prohibited the languages of Assyrians. Arabic is also well integrated in the Christian society and some conduct ceremonies in Arabic,” he said. “There are trials to alienate the group from the wider society.”
Ancient Heritage at Stake
The destruction and looting of Syria’s heritage is usually attributed to the conflict. Adnan Almohamad, an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck, University of London, explored other causes.
A former lecturer in ancient ceramics at the University of Aleppo, Almohamad said “the lack of laws after the conflict led the owners of confiscated lands that contain archaeological sites to take the opportunity to build on or loot.
“As a conservative society, Syrians used to think it is forbidden to loot. However, some religious leaders said artifacts are public properties and can be sold to meet the basic life needs. This led to a flourish in the smuggling of looted antiquities.” (See a related article, “Amid the Destruction of Syrian Antiquities, Some Restoration”.)
Consulting Women
The symposium also explored changing gender roles in Syria: the feminist movement, the globalization of a Syrian women’s religious association, and the education of female Syrian refugees.
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Hayat Sankar, a Syrian lawyer based in Turkey, said language was the biggest hurdle for women to complete their education. “They find it difficult to communicate with Turkish citizens, to adapt to a new educational system,” she said.
Sankar highlighted the need for awareness about women’s education. “Many think the male member should study, but this is changing,” she said. “Some women were the only breadwinner in the family, doing their best to adopt to a new environment.”