28 August 2026. Syrian children and young artists presented their vision of their homeland through painting, music and song at a cultural event organized by the Afif Bahnassi Educational Center for Fine Arts in cooperation with the Ministry of Education at the Arab Cultural Center in Mazzeh.Read more at: SANA
25 August 2026. The National Museum in Deir Ezzor opened the province’s first heritage exhibition on Monday, under the patronage of the Directorate of Culture and supervision of the Intangible Heritage Department, with the aim of reviving local heritage and highlighting the historical identity of the capital of the Euphrates.Read more at: SANA
23 August 2026. Famous Syrian singer Assala Nasri will return to the Damascus stage after nearly 15 years, with two concerts scheduled for September 17 and 19. Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the Artists Syndicate, the concerts are organized by Ugar company under the campaign “Awdat al-Assala” (The Return of Authenticity), reflecting renewed artistic and cultural activity in Syria.Read more at: SANA
16 August 2026. Roses dropped from army helicopters onto thousands of attendees at the Summer Syria festival in Damascus, delighting the crowds. Part of a revival of public cultural celebrations after years of civil war and isolation, the gesture also reflects a new relationship between citizens and the armed forces.Watch video at: AL JAZEERA
14 August 2026. Syrian singer Wasfi Massarani performed a mix of patriotic and traditional songs at Damascus Citadel as part of the Summer of Syria Family Festival 2026, which is presenting a range of cultural and entertainment activities aimed at revitalizing Damascus’ historic spaces and providing a platform for Syrian artists and families.Read more at: SANA
7 August 2026. The activities of the Syria Summer Family Festival 2026 opened at the Damascus Citadel as part of the summer program organized by the Ministry of Culture, with official and public participation. The opening follows the festival’s launch in Idlib on July 30, before moving to Latakia, where events began at al-Orouba Park on August 4. The festival will continue in other governorates in succession, with the aim of making cultural activities accessible to families in various areas.Read more at: SANA
2 August 2026. The Damascus International Festival of Arabic Poetry kicked off on Sunday at the Damascus Opera House, bringing together 55 poets, writers and lecturers from 16 Arab countries. The festival, that runs from Aug. 2 to Aug. 7, is a cultural event celebrating Arabic poetry, bringing together a distinguished group of poets, writers and intellectuals.Read more at: SANA
24 July 2026. Syria and Türkiye signed an agreement to open cultural centers in each other’s country, to hold conferences, forums, festivals, exhibitions and cultural performances, establish libraries and resource centers, and sponsor exchanges of writers, scientists, researchers, academics and students.Read more at: SANA
18 July 2026. Addressing the Syria International Textile Exhibition, attended by over 300 exhibitors from 25 countries, President al-Sharaa spoke of the industry’s revival as a means of restoring a heritage of creativity, expertise and skilled craftsmanship, as well as a source of job creation and economic growth.Read more at: SANA
13 July 2026. Before the morning light is complete above the rooftops of Darayya (Rural Damascus, southwestern Syria), dozens of pigeons have already reached the edges of walls and the roof of the loft before their owner. “I like to go up in the morning and sit beside them for two hours, drink a cup of coffee, send them up for a round or two, then go to my friend. We drink a glass of tea and sit together,” he told Enab Baladi. Read more at: ENAB BALADI
7 July 2026. Western classical music and traditional Arabic musical heritage came together at the Damascus Opera House on Monday during “Syria: The First Symphony,” a concert featuring Syrian pianist and composer Gaswan Zerikly alongside the Arab Music Ensemble for Heritage Revival. Speaking to SANA, Zerikly said the title reflects Syria’s historical significance as the birthplace of the world’s earliest known musical notation, discovered in the ancient city of Ugarit. Read more at: SANA
By Zeina Yagan After landing at Damascus International Airport, and while being transferred to the airport building, I could not hold back my tears. Am I really in Damascus? From the very first glance, I felt a deep sadness. The airport simply does not suit you, Damascus. You deserve a better one. And yet, amid this feeling of heaviness, there was warmth. The people working inside the airport were highly professional, generous, and smiling. They were doing their best to leave a warm first impression on Syrians coming back home. In that moment, longing prevailed over everything else. Read More …
2 July 2026. A new soon-to-be-released documentary follows BBC journalist Janay Boulos and Syrian photojournalist Abd Alkader Habak, tracing their long-distance relationship through war, shared footage, personal memories and eventual reunion, revealing humanity and love amid devastation. Read more at: THE GUARDIAN.COM/FILM Watch film trailer at: BIRDS OF WAR
2 July 2026. Syria’s first private folk heritage museum opened in Jayroud, showcasing Qalamoun’s social life and traditions. Officials and researchers say it strengthens cultural preservation, documents community history, and highlights privatesector support for heritage protection. Read more at: SANA
3 June 2026. The event, titled “Italian Breezes,” brought together Italian artists and the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra in a program blending Italian classical works and Syrian musical traditions, concluding with Arab Symphonic Dances by Syrian composer Nouri Al-Rahiban.Read more at: SANA
18 May 2026. Syria’s television authority has begun filming ‘The Way Back,’ a seven episode series that portrays the effects of mass displacement and camp life during the revolution. It will utilize personal experiences and dramatic storytelling to convey the emotional and psychological impacts of violence and siege.Read more at: LEVANT 24
14 May 2026. The Kurdish Culture Days festival opened in Damascus on Kurdish Language Day, with musical and dance performances, lectures on Kurdish language and history, and film screenings featuring Kurdish heritage and its contribution to Syria’s cultural landscape.Read more at: SANA
12 May 2026. Syria honored its top Arab Reading Challenge participants, chosen from 1.3 million students at 6,000 schools to represent Syria in the final challenge along with students from 60 nations. The program highlights the value of reading for personal growth and preserving the Arabic language.Read more at: SANAWatch video at: SANA or YOUTUBE
4 May 2026. The four-day event brought together 70 works by artists from across Syria, both professionals and newly emerging painters, highlighting themes of unity and shared experience. Participants expressed appreciation for being able to engage with fellow artists after years of isolation.Read more at: SANA
The urgency of restoring Syria’s textile industry goes beyond economic revival; it is about preserving irreplaceable connections to the nation’s cultural soul and ensuring that the knowledge, stories, and social practices embedded in textile creation continue to exist for future generations.
21 April 2026. Culture Minister Mohammad al-Saleh stated at the book fair’s opening: “We want Syria’s children to read what opens the path to understanding…; to read what connects them to their land, history and language,” and to learn to question and imagine.Read more at: SANA
16 April 2026. The “Athar” (“Trace”) exhibition in Damascus brings together 47 works of 16 young artists, presenting realistic paintings that explore personal experiences, local characters, Damascus neighborhoods, Arab identity, plus symbolic expressions of human experience and inner strength.Read more at: SANA
The decree issued by President Ahmed al-Sharaa is a historic decree, similar in importance to the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin. The Proclamation has the potential to end discrimination against the brave and dignified Kurdish people, who represent an essential component of the Syrian fabric. Read More at: Dr Zaher Sahloul…
27 March 2026. Khater Dawa described his concert as a tribute to those who “have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice for Syria.” He said, “I left Syria in 2008, but Syria never left me,” adding that his music reflects experiences and aspirations connected with the Syrian Revolution.Read more at: SANASee video at: YOUTUBE
23 March 2026. During decades of dictatorship, Eid had become a marker of loss—a time of mourning for joyful family and communal celebrations. Since the regime’s fall in 2024, it has become an occasion for reclaiming social and cultural identity and a symbol of resilience.Read more at: SANA
