Overview
On 9 July 2025, Advancing Civil Society - GLOCA held a physical discussion session in Aleppo titled “Social Capital in Syria: Between the Deficit of the Past and Rebuilding the Future,” in cooperation with the Syrian Dialogue Center. The session was presented by Ahmad Qorba and facilitated by Wasim Alhaj, with the participation of 25 civil society actors, researchers, and community representatives.

Session Focus
The session examined the concept of social capital and its importance in rebuilding trust, cooperation, and social cohesion in Syria after years of conflict. It also explored the impact of conflict on relationships between individuals, communities, institutions, and local actors.

Key Themes

• The concept of social capital and its role in social cohesion.

• The impact of conflict on trust and cooperation.

• Rebuilding social and institutional relationships after conflict.

• The role of civil society and local organizations in strengthening community effectiveness.

• Challenges and opportunities for building trust between different social actors.

Key Outputs
Participants discussed research findings on social capital in Syria and identified key challenges and opportunities for strengthening social cohesion. The session also generated practical proposals to rebuild trust between institutions and communities and documented local experiences in community relationship-building.

Impact
The session strengthened dialogue between researchers and civil society actors and highlighted the need for sustained programs that rebuild trust, promote cooperation, and support community resilience in Aleppo and beyond.

#GLOCA #SyrianDialogueCenter #SocialCapital #SocialCohesion #CivilSociety #Aleppo