On this day, November 5, 2026, the Syrian Future Movement reaffirms its steadfast commitment to supporting the educational system, viewing it as the cornerstone for building a civilized, civil Syrian state and the primary pillar for embedding the values of civil peace and coexistence.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that the observance of the International Day against Violence and Bullying in Schools this year—held under the theme “The Safety and Well-being of Every Learner: From Promise to Practice”—carries exceptional significance within the Syrian context.
The conditions of a protracted war and multifaceted crises have created a fertile environment for the escalation of violence. Recent international reports for 2025–2026 indicate that more than 30% of adolescents worldwide are subjected to bullying. In societies that have endured armed conflict, these figures are even higher; in some fragile school environments, rates of verbal and physical violence have reached alarming levels, threatening the psychological stability of future generations.
The Syrian Future Movement notes with deep concern the rise of “cyberbullying” alongside the proliferation of digital devices. UNESCO statistics indicate that one in every three children falls victim to online bullying.
In the Syrian context, this digital violence intersects with hate speech and the social divisions inherited from years of conflict. This hinders the integration of internally displaced students and exacerbates school dropout rates—a crisis that has already left more than two million Syrian children out of the classroom. The Syrian Future Movement asserts that the transitional phase our nation is currently undergoing requires a set of immediate and profound responses—measures designed to dismantle the culture of violence and replace it with values of tolerance and shared citizenship.
In this context, the Syrian Future Movement proposes the following recommendations and strategic directions:
First: Launch a “National Strategy to Combat School-Based Violence,” developed in coordination between civil society actors and local educational institutions. This strategy should encompass specialized psychological and behavioral support programs to address the cumulative trauma experienced by students.
Second: Activate school-based guidance and social counseling offices, and train teaching staff in “positive education” and dialogue-building techniques. Furthermore, establish secure and confidential channels for reporting instances of bullying and violence.
Third: Bridge the digital and awareness gap by incorporating “Digital Citizenship and Cybersecurity” into school activities, thereby empowering students to use social media platforms consciously and safely, while rejecting exclusionary discourse.
Fourth: Mobilize civil society organizations and local media outlets to launch public awareness campaigns—including outreach to families—to align home upbringing with the school environment, ultimately fostering an integrated societal space that protects childhood.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that the transition of Syria toward a state governed by the rule of law and citizenship begins in the classroom. A safe, violence-free school serves as the true incubator for consciousness and for the active citizen—an individual capable of leading Syria’s renaissance and driving its intellectual and material reconstruction.
