Yerevan Hosts Workshop on Youth and Power: calling for Decentralization and Inclusive Governance

Erbil (Kurdistan24) – In Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, a five-day workshop titled “Youth in Power” has convened under the auspices of the German Foreign Ministry and in coordination with the European Center for Kurdish Studies and Yerevan State University. The event, running from September 15 to 20, brings together young Syrians, Kurdish activists, journalists, and international experts to explore Syria’s political future, with particular emphasis on decentralization, inclusiveness, and the role of youth.

The central aim of the program is to share Armenia’s own experience in managing diversity and implementing decentralization with Syrian youth from across the country’s ethnic and religious spectrum. Participants are engaging with Armenia’s history of governance, its constitutional reforms, and its mechanisms for granting greater competences to municipalities—tools that have been essential for stability in a country with multiple communities such as Armenians, Yezidis, Kurds, and Assyrians.

In an interview with Kurdistan24, Dr. Eva Savelsberg, chairperson of the European Center for Kurdish Studies, stressed the need to expand participation in Syria’s political process. “I believe that it is important to include more different groups, more different components in the Syrian peace process, in the Syrian political process, because I strongly believe that we can only find a good solution for a future and more democratic Syria if you include all its citizens. And this is something which so far has not happened,” she said.

Savelsberg explained that the delegation came to Yerevan specifically to learn from Armenia’s experience with decentralization and local governance. “We went to Armenia in order to learn from their decentralization experience, in particular to learn from their experience to give more competences in the municipalities to the local level,” she noted, adding that decentralization in Syria must not only be designed on the central and regional levels but must also empower municipalities. “This is important to include all kinds of groups, different ethnic groups, different religious groups, but also groups as women and youth in particular.”

According to Savelsberg, not all groups in Syria share identical demands. “There are Kurds who clearly ask for federalization and decentralization, but there are also Kurds for whom it is not that important to have a decentralized state, but they rather ask for human rights, for example, to implement human rights and citizens’ rights,” she said. She observed that while the visions may differ, the workshop has already proven a space where Syrians of different communities—including Druze, Kurds, Alawites, and Assyrians—met, shared their views, and discussed their aspirations for Syria’s future.

“The different components get more in contact with each other,” she said. “People, young Syrians from different components, they all got together and talked to each other and they are changing their ideas for a future Syria. And I think this is what is really important, to get the different people and representatives of different components together to discuss what kind of Syria they want and what kind of decentralization they want.”

Savelsberg also underscored that decentralization is not synonymous with separatism. “If you want to keep a united Syria, you really need to include people and give them some form of competences. Decentralization doesn’t mean Syria will fall apart or separatism,” she argued, stressing that this message must be conveyed to the Syrian leadership, including President al-Shara and even groups like HTS. She pointed out that after the recent massacres in Sweida, the Syrian president himself had acknowledged that decentralization could be a subject of discussion, provided it did not lead to separatism.

Reflecting on Europe’s position, Savelsberg noted that European governments, and Germany in particular, are cautious in proposing political models for Syria. “The German government is always very hesitant to impose models in Europe to Syria. Indeed, it is important that the Syrian population chooses its own system of governance,” she said. Europe, she added, can showcase how decentralization works in practice, but the final decision must lie with the Syrian people. “If Germany could change from dictatorship to democracy, I think all countries do have a chance to do so. So Syria also has,” she remarked.

She further emphasized the importance of dispelling stereotypes about Kurds. “Even though no Kurdish political party says that they want separatism, there is always this stereotype idea about the Kurds. We must make very clear that this is not the case and that the Kurds really are one of the groups searching for a solution which protects Syrian unity on the one hand, but on the other hand allows them more decision-making on their own questions.”

Savelsberg highlighted the necessity of cooperation among minorities: “It is really a difference if only one group like the Kurds ask for decentralization, or if besides them also the Druze, the Alawites, and the Assyrians, together they are quite an important group. And of course, there are also democratic Syrian Arabs who do understand that decentralization means more power at the local and regional level.”

Siyamand Hajo, a member of the European Center for Kurdish Studies, also spoke to Kurdistan24 about the significance of learning from Armenia. “Arabs, Alawites, Assyrians, Syriacs, Kurds, and Druze are present. We came here to learn from Armenia’s experiences. Armenia, like Syria, is home to many groups and nationalities, including Armenians, Yezidis, Kurds, and Assyrians. We want to see how rights are protected there, and what competences communities have.”

Another participant, Syrian activist Natalie Bendian, emphasized the importance of youth engagement. “The things we are seeing here, especially the participation of young women and men, are very important. They are part of this system without distinction, whether movement or component. I believe new horizons exist. We must start with the youth, listen to them, and recognize their visions,” she said. Bendian stressed that many participants had never interacted before due to divisions and mistrust between communities inside Syria. “Now we are very happy that we are all here together,” she added.

The Yerevan workshop has become a platform where Syrians from diverse backgrounds can directly confront the challenges of their homeland and debate possible solutions. With Kurdish, Druze, Alawite, Assyrian, and Arab voices represented, the dialogue reflects the diversity of Syria itself and demonstrates the possibilities of decentralization and inclusive governance as a framework for the country’s future.

By drawing on Armenia’s lessons and Europe’s support, the workshop highlights the conviction that a democratic and united Syria is only possible if all its communities are empowered, heard, and recognized—not as separate entities, but as integral components of a pluralistic state.