This morning, Friday, August 8, the Cultural Center in al-Hasakah city hosted the “Unity of Position for the Components of Northeastern Syria” conference, attended by over 400 political and religious figures, tribal elders from various Syrian regions, and representatives of the Autonomous Administration.

The conference aimed to strengthen understanding among the components of northeastern Syria, counter attempts to incite division, and explore sustainable political solutions that guarantee rights and promote a culture of diversity and pluralism within a unified Syrian state, according to Hussein Othman, co-chair of the Autonomous Administration’s Executive Council.

In her speech, Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the Autonomous Administration’s Department of Foreign Relations, stressed that political pluralism is “not just a political option but a national necessity for building a modern Syria.”

She argued that the continuation of what she called a “unilateral mindset” deepens crises and obstructs solutions, warning that ignoring the voice of local components “will lead to further deterioration and division.”

Ahmed called for ensuring the representation of northeastern Syria’s components in any negotiation or constitutional process, stating that “the voice of these areas must be an integral part of the political and constitutional process, not a mere margin.”

Calls for a New Constitution and Decentralized System

The conference concluded with a final statement in which participants agreed on a set of political and social principles and demands, focusing on the importance of pluralism, institutionalizing decentralization, and rejecting exclusion and marginalization.

According to the statement published by Hawar News Agency, affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), participants called for drafting a new democratic Syrian constitution that enshrines decentralization, guarantees effective political participation for all components, respects cultural and religious particularities, and promotes social justice and freedom of belief.

The statement also stressed the need to review the current constitutional declaration, which participants said does not meet Syrians’ aspirations for dignity and freedom.

Participants affirmed that the region’s ethnic and cultural diversity is a source of strength, not a threat, urging its incorporation into political and administrative structures to ensure fair representation for all components.

The Autonomous Administration model was described as a democratic experiment capable of development and serving as a nucleus for rebuilding a participatory Syrian state.

The outcomes also emphasized the importance of transitional justice and national reconciliation, calling for a transparent process that includes truth-telling, accountability, reparations, and ensuring the safe and voluntary return of displaced people, while rejecting all forms of forced demographic change.

Participants expressed full support for the SDF, considering it the nucleus for building a new national, institutional, and professional army that protects the country’s borders and represents all its components.

The conference concluded by calling for a comprehensive national Syrian conference with the participation of all democratic and national forces to shape an inclusive national identity and build a pluralistic, democratic, decentralized Syria that safeguards human dignity and restores the status of marginalized communities.

Organizers said the document agreed upon at the conference will be officially published in the coming days as a roadmap for Syrian national dialogue.

Participation of al-Hijri and Ghazal Ghazal

The spiritual leader of the Druze community, Hikmat al-Hijri, delivered a recorded speech, stressing that the conference does not lay the groundwork for a separate path but rather reinforces the unity of Syria’s components within a national framework.

Al-Hijri rejected sectarian alignments, stating that Syria’s future can only be achieved through dialogue among its components.

Also participating was Ghazal Ghazal, head of the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria and the Diaspora, who called for establishing “a civil, secular, pluralistic, and decentralized state,” saying this model alone ensures justice and dignity for all citizens while preserving the uniqueness of each Syrian component without domination or marginalization.