The Syrian Future Movement followed with great interest the official opening of the Al-Fayhaa Sports Hall in Damascus on Monday, April 20, 2026, under the patronage and in the presence of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and with the participation of the Minister of Youth and Sports and a number of other ministers and officials.
The opening ceremony, which included a friendly basketball match between the Syrian and Lebanese national teams, followed the hall’s renovation to meet the latest international standards set by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), enabling it to host major tournaments and sporting events.
During the ceremony, President al-Sharaa delivered a speech in which he noted that basketball was one of his favorite sports, but he had to give it up due to wars and numerous problems. He emphasized that what we are witnessing today is just the beginning, and the future holds even greater achievements. He stressed that the relationship between the Syrian and Lebanese people has always been good and beautiful, marred only by politics, and that the fundamental principle between the two countries is that there are no victors or vanquished, but rather that any victory for one side is a victory for all.
The Syrian Future Movement highly values the opening of the Al-Fayhaa Sports Hall, seeing it as a message of hope and a genuine start to the return of sports to Syria after years of destruction and neglect under the former system
We affirm that this step represents a practical embodiment of our vision that sports are a physical, psychological, and national necessity, and an effective tool for building the individual and society, and for promoting the values of peace, tolerance, and teamwork, far removed from divisive thinking and conflict.
We also appreciate the President’s statement that the precision demonstrated in completing the hall’s rehabilitation will be a defining characteristic of the new Syria, and we emphasize that this precision must be evident in all reconstruction projects and the building of state institutions.
The Syrian Future Movement reiterates its firm and principled stance in support of sports as a fundamental pillar for building individuals and society, which it has published on its official website. Among the most prominent of these stances are:
- Our statement on the occasion of the “International Day of Sport for Development and Peace” (April 6, 2026): In it, we reviewed the state of Syrian sports more than a year after the change and commended international efforts aimed at integrating sports into the path of recovery and peace. Foremost among these efforts was the “Sport for Peacebuilding in Syria” conference in Amman, which resulted in the “Amman Declaration” as a roadmap for integrating sports into recovery and peacebuilding efforts and strengthening community resilience.
We also appreciated the official statements confirming that 2026 would witness the rehabilitation of many sports facilities in Syria. - Our position entitled “The Syrian Future Movement and Sports” (May 8, 2024): In it, we affirmed that sports are an effective tool for building the individual and fostering self-esteem, strengthening national spirit, and promoting teamwork, thus serving the principles of cooperation over conflict.
We emphasized the necessity of linking sports to their philosophical, ethical, and legal depth, the importance of state support for all beneficial forms of sports, and the rejection of politicizing sports or subjecting them to the interests of any party or group at the expense of the nation. - In an article titled “Building National Identity on the Foundations of Rights and Citizenship” (dated March 19, 2026), we affirmed that building a modern state requires a radical reform of the entire legal and social system and a redefinition of the relationship between the state and the citizen on a solid foundation of rights and dignity.
We believe that sports constitute one of the important foundations of this relationship, as they contribute to building a physically and psychologically healthy citizen, capable of contributing to the advancement of their nation.
The Syrian Future Movement views the opening of the Al-Fayhaa Sports Hall as a pivotal moment in the process of rebuilding the Syrian state on the foundations of prioritizing the physical, psychological, and social well-being of its citizens.
Sports are a strategic investment in the health and capabilities of young people, and a means of alleviating the psychological and social burdens left by the long years of war.
Sports also serve as a soft diplomacy tool, contributing to strengthening relations with brotherly and friendly nations. This was exemplified in the friendly match between the Syrian and Lebanese national teams, which brought the two peoples together in a spirit of love and fair competition, far removed from the political interference that has strained their historical ties.
In this context, President al-Sharaa’s statement that “there are no victors or vanquished” and that “both peoples are weary of tragedies and it is time to move towards reconstruction and development” underscores that sports can be a bridge to peace and regional cooperation.
The Syrian Future Movement recommends the following:
- To work towards replicating the experience of rehabilitating the al-Fayhaa Sports Hall to encompass all sports facilities in Syrian governorates, especially in areas that have suffered destruction and neglect, to ensure that sports services reach every young Syrian, wherever they may be.
- Integrating sports into national public health and sustainable development strategies, launching community sports programs targeting all age groups, with a focus on children, youth, women, and people with disabilities, and leveraging the enormous economic return on investment in sports—recent research indicates that every dollar invested in effective sports policies and programs can generate between $3 and $124 in returns for society.
- Allocating a separate budget for sports, encouraging private sector investment in this field through tax incentives and exemptions, and supporting the establishment of private sports clubs and centers to create jobs and stimulate the economy.
- Utilizing sports as a tool to promote national reconciliation and peacebuilding by organizing tournaments and sporting events that bring together diverse segments of Syrian society, and launching sports programs in shelters and host communities, in cooperation with international organizations and civil society.
- Strengthening cooperation with international sports federations and friendly countries to exchange expertise, train sports and administrative personnel, and host regional and international sports tournaments and events, thereby restoring Syria to its leading position in the sporting arena.
The Syrian Future Movement reaffirms that sports are the key to progress and development, and that investing in youth and sports is the surest investment for Syria’s future.
And We highly value the efforts of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and those responsible for the rehabilitation of Al-Fayhaa Hall, and we call for the continuation and expansion of these efforts to include all sports facilities and venues in the country.
We also commend the Syrian and Lebanese national teams for this high level of sportsmanship, which embodied the values of brotherhood and tolerance. We pray that this match will be the beginning of positive sporting and political relations between the two brotherly countries, and that the new Syria will flourish through knowledge, work, and sports, remaining a beacon of peace and love in the region and the world.
