Damascus, Dec. 6 (SANA) The first founding conference of the Circassian Tribes Council was held on Saturday at the Seven Gates Hotel in Damascus, with the participation of Circassians from Syria and abroad, and with high-level official and diplomatic attendance.
The newly established Council aims to organize Circassian efforts within a unified institutional framework, protect internal ties between villages and families, support competencies and empower youth across various fields, and promote Circassian identity, language, and heritage as an authentic component of Syria’s cultural diversity. The Council also seeks to launch development and volunteer initiatives and to serve both the state and society.
In his opening speech, Sheikh Mohammad Elias Jarkas, President of the Circassian Tribes Council, stated that true victory is not measured by the end of battles, but rather by the beginning of institutional work and national building. He emphasized that the upcoming phase is one of construction rather than slogans, and institutions rather than improvisation.
In a similar address, the Council’s Political Advisor, Wael Mirza, announced that the Council will work on establishing a fund to support small projects, as well as an insurance company to enhance Circassian presence through modern platforms. He also spoke of organizing an annual festival, activating Circassian youth to serve in public institutions, and establishing an academy to promote discipline and national values. Additionally, a disaster relief and emergency institution will be founded to serve as an effective Syrian model in the new Syria and to strengthen national identity.
Head of the Federation of Circassian Associations in Turkey, Nusrat Baş, stated that Circassians have offered thousands of martyrs in defense of the homelands that embraced them—chief among them Turkey, Syria, and Jordan. He confirmed his federation’s commitment, in coordination with Circassians in Syria, to preserving language, identity, and heritage, and defending their historical rights. He also expressed readiness to provide all possible support to enhance economic, political, and cultural cooperation between Turkey and Syria.
Sheikh Mohammad Omar Aboud, Follow-up Official at the Council of Tribes and Clans in Syria, stressed the importance of strengthening cohesion among Circassian tribes and reinforcing unity among all components of Syrian society.
From Jordan, researcher Adnan Younes Bazadogh highlighted the importance of the Council in genuinely representing Circassians, their culture, and identity, and in strengthening their historical role in society.
The conference included the screening of a documentary film highlighting the history of Circassians worldwide, their journey to Syria, and their participation in the Syrian revolution.
