Stories

	International Year of Youth launches in Syria with colourful events 2010-08-29 In proclaiming the International Year of Youth, which runs from 12 August 2010 to 11 August 2011, the United Nations called on governments, civil society, ... More »
	New life in the Ottoman Souqs of Deir Ezzor 2010-08-29 Throughout the Middle East, souqs have historically been the center of a city’s culture and livelihood. Centuries of wear and tear, however, have taken their ... More »
	Alongside Syrian health workers, UNICEF battles varied causes of malnutrition 2010-08-19 AL-HASAKEH, Syrian Arab Republic, 18 August 2010 – Syria’s Al-Hasakah governorate is no more than two hours away from Euphrates, Yet one of the biggest ... More »
	International Year of Youth Kicks off in Syria 2010-08-16 DAMASCUS: AUGUST 7 2010 By Rob Sixsmith Syria’s youth made a boisterous declaration of intent at the launching ceremony of the 2010 International Year ... More »
	Historical Solutions to Modern Problems 2010-08-14 On the barren landscape of the North-Eastern Syrian plains, a splash of bright blue catches the eye. It is not the flowing waters of the ... More »
	Gorillaz celebrities get up close with young refugees during Syria performance 2010-07-28 There was nothing normal about the visit of the Gorillaz, one of the world’s biggest rock bands, to Syria – a country that is usually ... More »
	UNRWA and Mexico offer refugee children joy and hope 2010-07-20 Over 160 orphaned and disabled Palestine refugee children take part in a week-long summer camp by the Mediterranean financed by the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de ... More »
	Breaking the cycle: Iraqi refugee students in Syria need help to go back to school 2010-07-07 Support from UNICEF and European Union By Rob Sixsmith DAMASCUS, Syrian Arab Republic, 6 July 2010 – Lulls in conversation with 16-year-old Iraqi refugee Gailan ... More »
	Syrian girls pioneer softball in the Middle East 2010-06-17 A boisterous crowd cheered on the Latakia girls’ softball team as they brought home their final base runner to secure themselves as the victors of ... More »
	A life on the run for footballer refugee: Seeds of Success 2010-06-13 Hussein Deeb\'s life has been one of struggle both on and off the field, as the child of refugees who had to flee from their ... More »
	Students Run For Peace and Dialogue 2010-06-01 Five hundred Palestinian refugee school children flooded the streets of Yarmouk Camp in Damascus on the morning of 18 April, running under the \'VIVICITTA 2010’ ... More »
	National Immunization Week in Syria aims for 100 per cent coverage 2010-05-11 DAMASCUS, Syrian Arab Republic, 30 April 2010 – Wide-eyed children waited with their mothers as UNICEF-trained health workers prepared to administer their vaccines. UNICEF is ... More »
	UNICEF Tunes into Health Education for Syrian Schools 2010-04-22 Songs and poetry have always played a central part in Syrian life - employed to communicate the important things. Now, songs and poems ... More »
	Damascus Circus School Leaves Audience Breathless 2010-04-14 Forty young Iraqi and Palestinian refugees and Syrians demonstrated spectacular acrobatic prowess today as they performed to an excited audience at al-Faiha Stadium in Damascus. ... More »
	Shukran Murtaja - Education is the cornerstone of life 2010-03-29 Seeds of Success Damascus, March 2010 For the last three years Shukran Murtaja has cast a spell on Syrian audiences through her portrayal of ... More »
	A Trickle Becomes a River as Students Hit the Street for World Water Day 2010-03-25 "I want to talk to them. So people can learn how to save water," announced Amani, a 9-year-old member of a water friendly team in ... More »
	International Woman's Day: Syrian Women Make Small but Crucial Gains 2010-03-23 By Rob Sixsmith International Women’s Day opened in Syria with mention of inspiring Syrian women like Marie Ajami and Nazek Al Abed - ... More »
	Capoeira therapy brings joy to Iraqi children at a refugee camp in Syria 2010-03-16 By Rob Sixsmith AL-TANF REFUGEE CAMP, Syria, 12 March 2010 – The closure in February of the Al-Tanf refugee camp on the Syrian-Iraqi border ends ... More »
	BIKE CAMP TO CAMP TEAM: Intrepid Fundraising Cyclists Visit UNICEF on the Ground in Syria 2010-02-22 By: Rob Sixsmith DAMASCUS, 24 January 2010- UNICEF fundraisers go to extraordinary lengths to help nudge UNICEF towards the goal of alleviating child hardship. More »
	Syria: Going Organic 2010-01-12 As people world-wide are growing increasingly concerned about the quality of the food and the state of the environment, organic products are becoming ever more ... More »
	Poor conditions in Iraq drive returned refugees back to Syria 2009-12-28 DAMASCUS, Syria, December 21 (UNHCR) – Omar Salman\'s* Syrian visa expired two weeks ago. A refugee from neighbouring Iraq, he believes his family\'s residency permits ... More »
	UNICEF and the Embassy of Denmark launch refurbished water plant in drought affected central Syria 2009-12-08 SALAMIEH, Syria, 2 December 2009 – Syria is experiencing a severe drought that is jeopardizing the livelihoods of thousands of families. After a second straight ... More »
	Karrad, "If I stop working, how can we survive?" 2009-12-07 DAMASCUS, 30 November 2009 (IRIN) - Karrad, 16, and his family fled the sectarian violence in Iraq following the US-led invasion in 2003 and came ... More »
	Drought response faces funding shortfall 2009-11-24 (IRIN) - With a few weeks left before the end of this year’s planting season, UN officials have raised concerns over the lack of funds ... More »
	The desert gardener 2009-11-08 Bassim Mohamad, a Palestinian agricultural science professor from Baghdad University, lives in al Tanf refugee camp. He talks about his life, the art of survival ... More »
	Pedal for Peace Bike Ride 2009 2009-11-04 The message of peace was alive and well in Dera’a on 14 October as participants in the annual Pedal for Peace Bike Ride rode into ... More »
	Children situation analysis report by the Syrian Commission of Affairs and UNICEF highlights violence against children 2009-10-28 By Razan Rashidi After two year’s work, the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs (SCFA) in collaboration with UNICEF has concluded a report on the Situation ... More »
	World food day is No Food Day for more than one billion of the world's hungry 2009-10-16 As the number of hungry people shoots past record levels, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today called on the world to remember the ... More »
	Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie urges the international community not to forget the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees who remain in exile. 2009-10-04 DAMASCUS, Syria, October 2 (UNHCR) – UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie called Friday on the international community not to forget the hundreds of thousands of ... More »
	Expressing frustration in a Healthy way 2009-10-01 Capoeira activities help to overcome fire shock in al-Tanf In al-Tanf, a camp set up in no-man\'s-land between the Syrian and Iraqi borders ... More »
	Iraqi artist departs for new life in the United States 2009-09-06 DAMASCUS, Syria, September 2 (UNHCR) - Amer Ibrahim* always planned to become an artist when he enrolled at Baghdad University\'s Fine Arts Faculty in the ... More »
	Window to the world 2009-08-30 UNICEF Syria contributes to Palestinian community development Text and Photos by Pawel Krzysiek “I didn’t know that being a trainer was ... More »
	Palestine Refugees Enter the Welding Workforce in Homs 2009-08-25 "A business man once shared with me his employment strategy. He hires not the best technician, but the one most in need of work in ... More »
	Syrian Aid Workers Deliver Help and Hope 2009-08-21 By Anna Jozwik By Anna Jozwik “Everything has a price. Even when you’re doing a good thing, making a humanitarian effort, ... More »
	Food for Education 2009-08-11 “I don’t want to go back to shepherding the cows. That’s what I was doing before my father heard that he would get a lot ... More »
	Partners for change, partners for future 2009-07-26 Syrian adolescents step into action at the Youth Conference in Aleppo Fifteen-year-old Hiba calmly scans the faces of a large audience gathered in ... More »
	Empowering Syrian Women 2009-07-26 The “Poverty Alleviation and Women Empowerment” programme, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in cooperation with the MoSAL, endeavors to reduce internal migration ... More »
	Treating Tuberculosis, One of the World's Oldest Pandemics 2009-07-15 Two billion people world wide have been infected with tuberculosis (TB) although most of those individuals never develop symptoms. While only five to ten percent ... More »
	Starting new lives at the age of six 2009-07-13 Inside the UNICEF/SARC Multidisciplinary Child Protection and Psychosocial Support (CP & PSS) Unit in Saida Zainab, six year old Tareq* clings to his mother’s abaya and ... More »
	Iraqi refugee youngster flown to Monaco from Syria for heart surgery 2009-07-05 MONTE CARLO, Monaco, June 30 (UNHCR) – An infant Iraqi refugee has been flown to Europe for life-saving surgery under an accord signed here less ... More »
	Syria’s refugees kick off World Refugee Day in Barça attire 2009-06-22 Iraqi and Somali refugees awarded FC Barcelona uniforms at World Refugee Day soccer tournament in Damascus. DAMASCUS, Syria, June 21, 2009 (UNHCR) – Iraqis, Somalis and ... More »
	Dara’a Goes Green 2009-06-17 Syria, April 2009 ‘During spring and early summer the Syrian countryside blossoms. From the rolling hills in its northern limits to its vast ... More »
	Transitions: Iraqi musicians on the move 2009-06-14 Three Iraqi refugees produce an album with UNHCR’s help and release it on music-sharing sites. The profits will help other refugees in Syria. More »
	Biodiversity Conservation in Syria 2009-06-11 By Ingrida Kerusauskaite “The global decline in biodiversity remains alarming. The main causes include deforestation, changes in habitat and land degradation, often linked to ... More »
	Syrian and Iraqi Children playing in the shade 2009-06-10 BY Bianca Baumler Eleven year old Miriam is from Baghdad. She moved to Damascus and has been attending the Jerji Toma School, Sahnaya, Damascus since ... More »
	Here is your banana and drop your cigarette please! 2009-06-09 Joint action on World No Tobacco Day They are all excited about what they have done recently. It seems like it has been ... More »
	World No Tobacco Day: Yarmouk Students Taught to Teach 2009-06-03 As the sweltering heat of the Syrian summer engulfs the streets of Yarmouk refugee camp, a group of schoolgirls dashes towards the cooling shade of ... More »
	An entire community says “NO!” to tobacco 2009-06-01 By Ingrida Kerusauskaite Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the world and one of the biggest public health threats we face today. ... More »
	UNICEF promotes improved practice in the treatment of gender-based violence 2009-05-26 Since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, the precarious situation of Iraqi refugees has attracted greater attention to Sex and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) ... More »
	Valuable Vocations and Real Opportunities 2009-05-24 The Damascus Training Centre (DTC) is an example of how the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and its donors succeed in providing valuable ... More »
	SYRIA: Extra food aid for drought-hit Iraqis in northeast 2009-05-14 HASSAKE, 11 May 2009 (IRIN) - Extra food distributions by NGOs have begun to Iraqi families struggling to meet basic needs in Syria’s drought-hit rural ... More »
	Squeezing the Budget 2009-04-15 Support programmes for Syria’s Iraqi refugee population are in jeopardy, with the global financial crisis and donor fatigue producing a sharp decline in international donations. ... More »
	Facing the challenge 2009-04-12 A normal work day in UNRWA´s Poly Clinic in Damascus Everyday there is a small crowd, men, women, families with small children, waiting outside the UNRWA’s ... More »
	Upgrading HIV and AIDS facilities in Syria 2009-04-01 By Sarah Birke Next month the Professional Centre for Diagnosing Infectious Diseases in the Zablatani area of Damascus will begin offering tests for common sexually transmitted ... More »
	Raising the Roof: Yarmouk women take their future into their hands 2009-04-01 They are using their own hands to build a floor. It is hard work, but worth the effort. As the Palestinian women from the Yarmouk ... More »
	Iraqi artists in Syria get a rare chance to exhibit their work 2009-03-26 DAMASCUS, Syria, March 25 (UNHCR) – The UN refugee agency's Damascus office has opened an exhibition of widely diverse works by 22 Iraqis, giving them ... More »
	“It’s Like Waking Up” 2009-03-19 By Annika Folkeson For Palestinians growing up in the camps of Syria, life sometimes seems to bring nothing but challenges. Although Palestinians in ... More »
	Food Distribution 2009-03-01 by Sarah Birke Hamid, 81, and Ghanea, 70, are at their first food collection. Hamid is fragile – he has a pacemaker and struggles to ... More »
	Syrian Olive Oil Becomes Environmentally Friendly 2009-02-18 By Sarah Birke With its Mediterranean climate Syria is a natural home to the olive tree. It is ranked fifth in the world in production of ... More »
	Syria opens the first shelter for victims of human trafficking 2009-02-08 By Sarah Birke In a building in Damascus the first safe shelter for victims of human trafficking* opened on the last day of 2008. This ... More »
	Child Friendly Spaces bring hope to Iraqi refugee children 2009-02-05 by Annika Folkeson Upon arrival at the children’s center Selma immediately disappeared into one of the empty rooms. She did not answer questions ... More »
	Syrians to get better access to justice 2009-02-01 By Sarah Birke The importance of a good legal system cannot be overstated. With stable laws citizens can plan their lives and start businesses; with ... More »
	Deir Ezzor – attracting business and tourism 2009-01-29 By Sarah Birke Along the banks of the vast Euphrates River in the eastern region of Syria lies the bustling town of Deir ... More »
	Innovative solution protects both farmer and environment 2009-01-28 By Annika Folkeson On a little farm in Ruha, rural Sweida, one finds something as sophisticated as a biogas digester. With the manure from only three ... More »
	UNHCR helps Iraqi students achieve university dreams 2009-01-26 DAMASCUS, Syria, January 22 (UNHCR) – Eighteen-year-old Maryam* is living her dream as she studies a legal textbook at the back of her family's rented ... More »
	A childhood of rape and exploitation ends mercifully with a new life in Canada 2009-01-07 DAMASCUS, Syria, Dec. 31 (UNHCR) – For any refugee, the chance to begin a new life in Canada is a coveted prize. But for Hiba,* ... More »
	Number of Iraqis recommended by UNHCR for resettlement hits 50,000 2008-12-21 The UN refugee agency reached a milestone late last month when a former Baghdad resident became the 50,000th Iraqi refugee submitted for resettlement from host ... More »
	Street-cleaning Volunteers Raise Awareness and Hope for a Cleaner Future 2008-12-10 by Annika Folkeson On December 5th, approximately 125 volunteers set out into various neighborhoods all over Damascus to clean up the city. After leaving the meeting ... More »
	The implication of gender inequality for women’s safety and reproductive health 2008-12-02 by Sarah Birke For Sadeia what should have been a joyous occasion turned into a tragedy. The 25-year old mother of two had been ... More »
	Syrian Farmers Go Green 2008-11-25 by Annika Folkeson Every year, pesticides poison millions of people and inflict severe damage to ecosystems around the world. This problem is particularly acute in developing ... More »
	Girls Seek Competitive Expertise at the DTC 2008-11-16 by Annika Folkeson “The guys are more skilled but I think soon I can be better than them”, Hanin said with a confident smile. “It was ... More »
	Trying to Make Ends Meet: Iraqi Tales from Douma 2008-11-03 by Sarah Birke Since my husband disappeared - I presume he was killed, on a trip back to Iraq - it has been harder to ... More »
	Making the Desert Bloom at Deir Mar Musa 2008-10-29 by Annika Folkeson Approaching from a distance, the features of the old monastery slowly start to appear from the surrounding sand-colored mountains. Squeezed ... More »
	Teenage Iraqi refugees focus on a career in Damascus exercise 2008-10-07 DAMASCUS, Syria, (UNHCR) – Threading his way through the streets of old Damascus, the bicyclist suddenly faced an unexpected obstacle – a group of energetic ... More »
	Schools Open with a New Look: UNICEF and the Ministry of Education (MoE) have recently begun a rehabilitation project to upgrade overcrowded schools in four provinces 2008-09-18 Damascus, September 2008 - For some schools, the last weeks preceding the beginning of the new school year have been extremely busy. Walking into Artouz ... More »
	Death of Palestinian boy highlights dangers at Iraq border refugee camp 2008-09-10 The death of a nine-year-old boy in a road accident on the Iraq-Syria border has focused attention once more on the extremely dangerous and harsh ... More »
	In Preventing Maternal Deaths, Every Nanosecond Counts 2008-08-12 DAMASCUS - Some disagree that a minute counts during an emergency delivery. According to Dr. Abdul Salam, “a nanosecond is very important in saving the ... More »
	UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Angelique Kidjo sends a message during her performance in Damascus. 2008-07-29 Damascus, 24th of July 2008 - “We should engage all our capacity to make sure that our children are safe.” This was Kidjo’s message to ... More »
	Seaside break in Syria proves too much for young Palestinians 2008-07-14 AL TANF, Syria, June 30 (UNHCR) – It seemed like a good idea. Take a group of Palestinian children to the seaside to help them ... More »
	UNICEF celebrates with Refugee Children from Iraq 2008-07-06 "I am having the best time ever," said Shahed, an Iraqi girl living in Syria, while she was completing a puzzle game during the special ... More »
	UNHCR resumes second food distribution of the year in Syria 2008-06-26 DAMASCUS, Syria, June 26 (UNHCR) – To the huge relief of tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees in Damascus, the UN refugee agency and ... More »
	World Refugee Day: Iraqi musician raises USD 24,000 for UNHCR 2008-06-19 Acclaimed Iraqi oud (lute) player Naseer Shamma has raised more than USD 24,000 for UNHCR's Iraqi refugee programme with a concert at the Damascus Opera ... More »
	Women of Jabal Al-Hoss Village: Tailoring the Way to Self Empowerment 2008-06-11 Women of Jabal Al-Hoss, one of Syria’s poorest areas on the outskirts of Aleppo, are viewed as non-productive burdens on the society and are thus ... More »
	UNHCR faces funding shortfall for Iraq operation 2008-05-14 GENEVA -- Faced with a looming funding shortfall, the UN refugee agency warned today that it could soon be forced to reduce and in ... More »
	UNICEF & EU partner up to supply schools teaching Syrians and Iraqi Refugees 2008-03-20 When Abdi Dahir Osman, Education Specialist at UNICEF, visits the Achrafiya Sahnaya primary school, he is greeted as Santa Claus, describes Ms. Iman Aboud, director ... More »
	Iraqi refugee youngster flown to Monaco from Syria for heart surgery 2007-07-01 MONTE CARLO, Monaco, June 30 (UNHCR) – An infant Iraqi refugee has been flown to Europe for life-saving surgery under an accord signed here less ... More »

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