In 2011, the Syrian people joined their sisters and brothers throughout the Middle East in a popular revolution for liberation from dictatorship. They aimed to establish democracy and equality. The regime of Bashar al-Assad responded by bombing its own people and dividing them along ethnic and sectarian lines. But Assad’s rule-or-ruin tactics could not stop the revolt. Then air strikes and an invasion by Russia, Iran and their allies let to a recent cessation of hostility. During the ‘ceasefire’ Syrian revolutionaries returned to the streets in popular protests. Considering that almost half a million people have been killed, that half the country is now homeless, and that every city in the country except one has been bombed, this is quite inspiring and amazing. What is the significance of this? Where is the hope? And what is really motivating Russian and US intervention? 

Speaker: Ferhat Kentel is a leading Turkish socialist and one of the best-known intellectuals in Turkey. 

His articles on modernity, everyday life, new social movements, religion, Islamic movements, intellectuals and ethnic communities have been published in different journals and books in Turkey and abroad.

Bannister Hotel 
9 de Beer Street
Braamfontein

Saturday June 25th
3pm – 5pm

All Welcome