The Syrian Future Movement welcomes the decision issued by the Ministry of Justice on November 11, 2025, to return ownership of Al-Ram School (the Jesuit School) in Aleppo to the Franciscan Order, after more than five decades of nationalization that affected private educational institutions in 1967.
The Syrian Future Movement considers this decision a well-deserved legal correction, as well as a symbolic step that marks the beginning of a new national path, restoring historical justice and establishing a phase of reconciliation with Syria’s diverse history, which has always been rich in its religious, cultural, and civilizational diversity. Furthermore, the return of Al-Ram School to its rightful owners sends a message of hope to all Syrians that rights do not expire with time, and that when the state upholds justice, it reopens the doors of trust between citizens and their institutions.
The Syrian Future Movement highly values the efforts exerted by the Franciscan Order, represented by Father Bahjat Qaraqash, in pursuing this matter. It also commends the cooperation of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Education in achieving this milestone, which we hope will pave the way for a comprehensive review of the nationalization and confiscation cases that affected educational, charitable, and cultural institutions in past decades.
The Syrian Future Movement considers the Al-Ram School, since its founding in the late 19th century, to have been a beacon of knowledge and openness, a refuge for displaced Armenians, and a cultural and spiritual center for the people of Aleppo.
Today, as it is returned to the Franciscan Order, we see in this an opportunity to revive its educational role and develop a modern educational model that combines spiritual roots with openness to contemporary values.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for transforming this achievement into a national educational project that restores the prestige of historical schools in Syria and contributes to building a new generation that believes in pluralism, takes pride in its identity, and is open to the world. The Syrian Future Movement also sees this decision as an indication of the possibility of building a new social contract based on respect for property rights, the preservation of rights, the recognition of diversity, and the establishment of a state governed by the rule of law and strong institutions. Reconciliation with the past is essential for building a stable and just future.
In this context, the Syrian Future Movement calls for launching a comprehensive national dialogue to reassess the policies that have damaged the social fabric of Syria and to establish new foundations for the relationship between the state and its citizens and institutions, based on partnership, justice, and dignity.
We in the Syrian Future Movement believe that the Syria we dream of is a Syria that does justice to its history, embraces its diversity, and builds its future on the foundations of justice, freedom, and knowledge.
The decision to reopen the Al-Ram School is a step on this long road, which we hope will be followed by broader steps toward a new Syria for all its children, and by all its children.
