The Old City of Damascus has been largely spared the destruction of Syria's ongoing civil war. AFP
The Old City of Damascus has been largely spared the destruction of Syria's ongoing civil war. AFP
The Old City of Damascus has been largely spared the destruction of Syria's ongoing civil war. AFP
The Old City of Damascus has been largely spared the destruction of Syria's ongoing civil war. AFP

Comment

My journey back to Damascus

Amid a heartbreaking war and grave pandemic, there are still corners of Syria that can remind you of its beauty

Maysoon Barber
Maysoon Barber

January 28, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Syria, where my roots lie, has a rich heritage dating back to the third millennium BC. It has made headlines for the wrong reasons since 2011, but beyond the fog of war lies a beautiful country with a staggering media presence and a new generation of tech-savvy minds eager for change.

I have come to realise this on several visits to the country to pursue a personal project. As a third-culture individual based in the UAE, and with professional and cultural ties to Europe, Middle East and South-East Asia, I have always been on a quest for a homeland. And I have begun to understand and appreciate Syria for what it is since I returned in 2019 for the first time since the war broke out.

The pandemic threatened to put my trips there on hold. But last November, equipped with my negative PCR test report and a round-trip ticket from Abu Dhabi to Beirut, I arrived at Rafic Hariri airport, where the even immigration officer was surprised that I was transiting to Syria.

The Syrian-Lebanese border crossing at Masnaa. AFP
The Syrian-Lebanese border crossing at Masnaa. AFP

When I arrived by car to the Syria-Lebanon border, I crossed the kilometre-long no man’s land between the two countries. My facemask became wet with the tears rolling down my face as I reached the Syrian frontier – a crossing point where many dreams have been crushed, families separated and promises broken.

I was then driven to Damascus, where I was greeted with pitch-black streets and the odd building that had electricity. The five-star hotel I checked into moments later seemed so disconnected from reality.

The first of the artists I met for a project I am working on was Mustafa Ali, a renowned sculptor who runs a gallery on Al Ameen Street. Mustafa’s conservative neighbours initially criticised his sculptures as “idols” and boycotted his gallery, but he eventually persuaded them to accept his work’s artistic value. He organised an exhibition that filled the streets of the neighbourhood of Al Shaalan with easels, paint, colours, students, musicians and curious onlookers.

The author with Syrian artist Mustafa Ali (L). Courtesy Maysoon Barber
The author with Syrian artist Mustafa Ali (L). Courtesy Maysoon Barber

Mustafa invited me to a lecture he organised at Damascus University to talk about the value of art. The young and inspired minds had a great thirst to connect with the outside world. Yet they stared at me, as a visitor, as though I was an alien.

I don’t blame them for their pessimism. Ninety per cent of Syria’s population lives in poverty, according to the UN’s latest figures. In a country where 11 million people need assistance just to survive, many depend on multiple sources of income. The reality on the ground was stark as I often drove past long queues at petrol stations, and longer ones at bakeries.

“It’s called a ‘smart card’. But really, it’s a stupid card,” my friend said one day, describing the ration card provided to her by the government, to buy everything from groceries to gas cylinders at subsidised rates. People have to wait their turn to get their supplies. “We are at number 725,” my friend said.

When a PCR test costs $100, as it does in Damascus, it is no surprise that Covid-19 is of less priority when compared to the country’s myriad other crises.

I later met Sami Moubayed of the Damascus History Foundation, an NGO dedicated to preserving the historical records of the capital. Dr Moubayed founded it in 2017 after discovering that a wealth of manuscripts, documents and photographs dating back to 1860 were being kept in storage facilities in the outskirts of the city, left neglected and vulnerable to bombs and, on better days, rats. The foundation has since expanded its purview to award young people for their historic projects, organise seminars and maintain an online platform to showcase photographs, audio-visual materials, academic articles and other things.

The Syrian writer and historian Sami Moubayed seated in his office. Courtesy of Maysoon Barber
The Syrian writer and historian Sami Moubayed seated in his office. Courtesy of Maysoon Barber

I then walked to what remains of Bab Touma, one of the seven gates that sealed Old City, built during the time of the Roman Empire. There, I met the photographer Antoun Mazzawi and his partner, an artist named Tamar Shahinian, who does digital embroidery on Mazzawi’s photographs. We walked around the Old City searching for knockers on old doors. Mazzawi would catalogue these door knockers and publish their photographs without sharing their locations to protect them from theft, given their considerable worth. One knocker includes a figure of a hand symbolising the worship to Jupiter, which dates back to 200 AD. Its base depicts the sun, and on the top sits a fig leaf. Many of the knockers carry a Christian cross, and many others carry a flower that was added later during the introduction of Islam. To walk through the Old City is to be reminded that Syria has long been blessed with multiple religions. This is truly, in one sense, an elevated land.

Despite its rich heritage, it is the stories of the conflict and its impact that we hear about more often. Posters of crying children with a call for action to donate bags of flour, blankets and medical supplies are important. But the world also needs to know about Andre Maalouli, director of the Damascus Opera House, and his mission to bring peace through music. It needs to sway to the music of Taher Maamelli. It needs to wander about the distillery land of Roula Ali Adeeb and immerse itself in the essential oils and waters she distils from flowers and herbs. It needs to know that there is a fleet of computer engineers, programmers, illustrators, graphic designers and animators who work online and submit projects globally under anonymous names to make a living. Why don’t they make many headlines?

I was in a coffee shop with a friend making this point when the power went out. I looked around to see that life hadn’t stopped. I could hear chatter, laughter and clinking glasses. When the lights came back on, I was the only one to applaud. Syrians are resilient. So much has happened that nothing can break their spirit.

I packed the frozen makdous – stuffed eggplant with walnut and paprika – that my aunt insisted I take with me (an act of love, this insistence) and left Damascus with a heavy heart.

But when I returned to the no man’s land on my way to the Lebanese border, I was alone but felt at peace. I felt rooted – like I belonged.

As I made my way back, my mind wandered to a balcony at my friend’s house in the neighbourhood of Mezzeh, which overlooked two jasmine and lemon trees. If these trees survived this turmoil, I thought, so would my 17 million fellow Syrians.

Maysoon Barber is an expert in social enterprise innovation and the executive director of Fatima bint Hazza Foundation in Abu Dhabi

Turkish-backed Syrian fighters ride in the back of a pickup truck in the town of Sarmin, about 8 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria. AFP
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters ride in the back of a pickup truck in the town of Sarmin, about 8 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria. AFP
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters gather around fire in the town of Sarmin, about 8 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria. AFP
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters gather around fire in the town of Sarmin, about 8 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria. AFP
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters ride atop an armoured personnel carrier in the town of Sarmin, about 8 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria. AFP
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters ride atop an armoured personnel carrier in the town of Sarmin, about 8 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria. AFP
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters prepare to fire shells at a position near the village of al-Nayrab, about 14 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria, amid clashes with government forces. AFP
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters prepare to fire shells at a position near the village of al-Nayrab, about 14 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria, amid clashes with government forces. AFP
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters fire a shell at position near the village of al-Nayrab, about 14 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria, amid clashes with government forces. AFP
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters fire a shell at position near the village of al-Nayrab, about 14 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria, amid clashes with government forces. AFP
A young Syrian holds a caricature representing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin as he takes part in a demonstration to protest against the continuing assault by the Syrian regime and Russian forces on the last rebel-held pockets in the northern Idlib province, in the city of Idlib. AFP
A young Syrian holds a caricature representing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin as he takes part in a demonstration to protest against the continuing assault by the Syrian regime and Russian forces on the last rebel-held pockets in the northern Idlib province, in the city of Idlib. AFP
A picture taken from the town of Sarmin in northwestern Syria shows smoke billowing over the village of Qaminas, about 6 kilometres southeast of Idlib city, following reported Syrian air strikes. AFP
A picture taken from the town of Sarmin in northwestern Syria shows smoke billowing over the village of Qaminas, about 6 kilometres southeast of Idlib city, following reported Syrian air strikes. AFP
A US military armoured vehicle patrols on the outskirts of Tal Tamr town along the M4 highway in the northeastern Syrian Hasakeh province, near the border with Turkey. AFP
A US military armoured vehicle patrols on the outskirts of Tal Tamr town along the M4 highway in the northeastern Syrian Hasakeh province, near the border with Turkey. AFP
US military armoured vehicles patrol on the outskirts of Tal Tamr town along the M4 highway in the northeastern Syrian Hasakeh province, near the border with Turkey. AFP
US military armoured vehicles patrol on the outskirts of Tal Tamr town along the M4 highway in the northeastern Syrian Hasakeh province, near the border with Turkey. AFP
Turkish soldiers and a tank at the Ad Dana district of north-east Idlib, Syria. EPA
Turkish soldiers and a tank at the Ad Dana district of north-east Idlib, Syria. EPA
A US soldier rides atop a military armoured vehicle on the outskirts of Tal Tamr town along the M4 highway in the northeastern Syrian Hasakeh province, near the border with Turkey. AFP
A US soldier rides atop a military armoured vehicle on the outskirts of Tal Tamr town along the M4 highway in the northeastern Syrian Hasakeh province, near the border with Turkey. AFP
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New UK refugee system

 

  • A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
  • Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
  • A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
  • To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
  • Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
  • Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
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Europe's top EV producers
  1. Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
  2. Iceland (33%)
  3. Netherlands (20%)
  4. Sweden (19%)
  5. Austria (14%)
  6. Germany (14%)
  7. Denmark (13%)
  8. Switzerland (13%)
  9. United Kingdom (12%)
  10. Luxembourg (10%)

Source: VCOe 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

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Takreem Awards winners 2021

Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)

Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)

Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)

Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)

Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)

Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)

Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)

Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)

Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)

Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)

Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)

Tips from the expert

Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.

  1. Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
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Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

'Nightmare Alley'

Director:Guillermo del Toro

Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara

Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Recipes to try
Racecard

6pm: Mina Hamriya – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

6.35pm: Al Wasl Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m

7.10pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,900m

7.45pm: Blue Point Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,000m

8.20pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (T) 2,810m

8.55pm: Mina Rashid – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (T) 1,600m

COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)

Date started: August 2021

Founder: Nour Sabri

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace

Size: Two employees

Funding stage: Seed investment

Initial investment: $200,000

Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East) 

THE SPECS

Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6

Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm

Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km

Price: Dh375,000 

On sale: now 

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP

Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan

Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri

2017%20RESULTS%3A%20FRENCH%20VOTERS%20IN%20UK
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20round%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EEmmanuel%20Macron%3A%2051.1%25%3Cbr%3EFrancois%20Fillon%3A%2024.2%25%3Cbr%3EJean-Luc%20Melenchon%3A%2011.8%25%3Cbr%3EBenoit%20Hamon%3A%207.0%25%3Cbr%3EMarine%20Le%20Pen%3A%202.9%25%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESecond%20round%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EEmmanuel%20Macron%3A%2095.1%25%3Cbr%3EMarine%20Le%20Pen%3A%204.9%25%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The team

Videographer: Jear Velasquez 

Photography: Romeo Perez 

Fashion director: Sarah Maisey 

Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory 

Models: Meti and Clinton at MMG 

Video assistant: Zanong Maget 

Social media: Fatima Al Mahmoud  

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception 

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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Saturday (UAE kick-off times)

Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)

Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)

West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)

Sunday

Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)

Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)

Everton v Liverpool (10pm)

Monday

Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)

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About Housecall

Date started: July 2020

Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: HealthTech

# of staff: 10

Funding to date: Self-funded

Innotech Profile

Date started: 2013

Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari

Based: Muscat, Oman

Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies

Size: 15 full-time employees

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing 

Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now. 

MATCH INFO

Chelsea 0

Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')

Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)

Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)

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RESULT

Leeds United 1 Manchester City 1
Leeds: Rodrigo (59')
Man City: Sterling (17')

Man of the Match: Rodrigo Moreno (Leeds)

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BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Results

2pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).

2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: AF Sahwa, Nathan Crosse, Mohamed Ramadan.

3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: AF Thobor, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.

3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mezmar, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.

4pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup presented by Longines (TB) Dh 200,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Galvanize, Nathan Cross, Doug Watson.

4.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Ajaj, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mohamed Daggash.

SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)

Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)

Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)

FINAL SCORES

Fujairah 130 for 8 in 20 overs

(Sandy Sandeep 29, Hamdan Tahir 26 no, Umair Ali 2-15)

Sharjah 131 for 8 in 19.3 overs

(Kashif Daud 51, Umair Ali 20, Rohan Mustafa 2-17, Sabir Rao 2-26)

RACE CARD

6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m

7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m

7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m

8.15pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m

9.50pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m

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