Shaaban: We are concerned about setting plans for confronting the challenges hatched against us

Damascus, SANA- We are concerned about what our nation is passing through and about setting plans for confronting the challenges hatched against us, Presidential Political and Media Adviser, Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban has said.

In a speech Saturday during the opening of dialogue conference entitled “Arab Situation after a Hundred Years of Balfour Declaration-benefiting from the past to build a better future, Dr. Shaaban, affirmed that the homelands are the most important as today we are witnessing catastrophic results of what they allegedly called (Arab Spring) in some Arab countries.

The Presidential Advisor and the Chairwoman of Watan Document Foundation’s Board of Trustees said that the Foundation aims at documenting elite figures who contributed to preserving homeland’s dignity, in addition to documenting the oral narrative to become a reference to the official written history.

“Our goal is to document the oral historical message to be a reference to the written history,” Shaaban said, indicating that the first project of the Foundation will be documenting what Syria has went through over the past seven years.

“Our dialogue here is objective, clear, constructive and organized to set better bases for the next generation,” Shaaban clarified, adding “Our goal is to come up with features of an Arab strategy to guide the decision makers.”

Shaaban called for upgrading the notion of citizenship to the highest levels to face the narrow tendencies and fanaticism, saying “We are concerned today about setting a future vision to spare the nation more pain.

Shaaban said that the Syrian people and army resemble the actual meaning of belonging, sacrifice, martyrdom, courage and bravery as they have paid the highest price for the sake of their homeland’s dignity and sovereignty.

She pointed out that the conference aims at tackling the underlying causes which have led the Arab Nation to the current situation, indicating that the issue cannot be attributed to foreign reasons only, rather there are several gaps resulting from lack of transparency and honesty to serve personal or political interests.

Shaaban underlined the importance of enhancing political and intellectual knowledge to fortify the nations and citizens.

She called upon Arab national businessmen to support research centers and intellectuals to enhance the ability to confront the Zionist enemy and its tools as well as the petro dollar regimes which attempt to distort the history and support those who seek to undermine the Arab Nation.

Grand Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun said in a similar speech that “We read the document of Balfour unfortunate Declaration responding to it by reiterating that Palestine will remain in the heart of the Arab Nation.

“You have come to Damascus, the city that tells the whole world that all documents of the universe- if rejected by the homeland- will never be applicable …this is simply Syria…you remember when they held meetings in 2011, 2012 and 2013 under the title of (Syria’s friends)and they issued documents naming themselves as friends of the documents , yet  the Syrian people, leadership and army rejected those documents and they will also reject their first document,” Hassoun said addressing the participants of the Conference.

The Grand mufti clarified that Syria has stood up in the face of the fiercest wars of terrorism thanks to its resilient leadership and brave army.

Activities of the dialogue conference is organized by Watan (Homeland) Document Foundation at Damascus University Auditorium with participation of Arab intellectuals and writers.

The organizing committee said in a statement the conference will discuss the lessons of the past, the standing challenges and mechanisms and views for building an Arab better future.

The Watan Document Foundation, which was established in June 2016, cares for oral documentation with the aim of preserving and documenting the national memory.

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