From Syria, With Love

By Leen Shoura

After two years away, I returned to a different Syria. The air felt lighter. Faces looked softer,

not quite joyful, but relieved. Something had shifted.

My name is Leen Shoura, and I’m from Damascus. When I was 8 years old, my life changed

forever. A missile landed just five minutes from where I was going to school. That day, my

family made the hardest decision of their lives, to send me away for my safety. In 2012, I left

behind my home, my friends, and my childhood to start over in Saudi Arabia, far from the

war that was tearing my country apart.

For years, I couldn’t return. Syria was broken, dangerous, and unpredictable. But in 2016, I

finally made it back to spend the summer with my grandmother. What I saw changed me: a

country scarred by war, cities in ruins, and people carrying silent pain in their eyes. But even

in that darkness, I saw strength. I saw resilience.

That’s when something sparked in me, a deep desire to understand, to speak out, to serve. It’s

what led me to study politics and international relations. I wanted to be part of something

bigger than myself.

Now, in 2025, I’ve come back again, and Syria feels different. I arrived on June 8 with no

expectations. And I still don’t know what to expect. None of us do. But there’s a quiet sense

of possibility in the air. The new government is trying to restore stability. The U.S. sanctions

have recently been lifted, bringing a glimmer of hope for economic recovery and

humanitarian relief. People are daring to dream again, even if only in whispers.

A lot has happened in the past year — more than I ever imagined.

In December 2024, Bashar al-Assad was removed from power after over 20 years of rule.

His fall marked the end of an era — and the beginning of something uncertain, yet hopeful.

By March 2025, a transitional government was formed, led by former rebel-turned-leader

Ahmed al-Sharaa. A new interim constitution was ratified, focused on unity, decentralization,

and rebuilding. In June 2025, the U.S. and European Union lifted key sanctions on Syria.

For the first time in over a decade, ships carrying wheat, medicine, and basic goods docked at

Syrian ports. Markets are opening. People are returning.

But progress hasn’t come without pain.Just two weeks after I arrived, on June 22, a church

bombing in Old Damascus killed 25 people, a cruel reminder that peace is fragile. Sectarian

tensions haven’t disappeared. Many minorities are still afraid.

Despite the uncertainty, I see signs of hope everywhere. Children are back in school. Power

outages aren’t as long. Young people are organizing art festivals, debate nights, and social

initiatives. Syria’s youth, “ my generation “, are trying to build something new from the

rubble.

No one here has illusions. The road ahead is long, and the wounds are deep. But people are

starting to believe that change is possible. That maybe, just maybe, Syria can be free — not

just from war, but from fear.

That’s why I started this blog.

“From Syria With Love” isn’t just about my return. It’s about rediscovery of place, of

people, of identity. I want to share what Syria looks like today, through my eyes and the

stories of those around me.

This is for anyone who has left, who has lost, or who is still trying to make sense of what it

means to come home.

There are no clear answers here. Only questions. Only hope. So come with me. Let’s witness

what a free Syria looks like and what it means to hope again.

And love, always, love.