Skate Park

Celebrating the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

May 13 2025 - At ten years old, Ahmed felt the skateboard hum beneath his feet for the first time. The park was a chorus of wheels on pavement, shouts of other kids, but for him, it was all movement, all feeling. Being unable to hear or speak, Ahmed had an exquisite experience. Balance came first, then speed, then the dizzying thrill of freedom. The coaches called out instructions he could not hear, but as Ahmed kept coming back to the park for days, another language found its way! What began as a challenge—silent, stubborn, uncertain—became his passion. Ahmed’s indomitable spirit was the driving force to make steady progress as he first pointed out to a ramp he wanted to try with the coach. From that point, the boy continued to enhance his attention to details and build his skills, focusing on each challenge, learning until the challenge was behind him. With that natural desire, not only did Ahmed ride the skateboard, but he also embraced the joy of participating with others, determined to be an equal part of the skateboarding community. Inspired by Ahmed’s eagerness, the coaches continued to tailor their methods as he paved his own way through steady progress, always going beyond his comfort zones. After four years of rigorous practice and passion-fueled effort, Ahmed entered a skateboarding competition hosted by Skate Park Project as part of a series of events for the International Day of Sport. Not only did he participate, but Ahmed excelled. He secured a remarkable second-place victory. Taking his place on the winner’s podium was a moment of triumph that embodied not only personal success, but also the culmination of every day's pursuit of excellence. The Skate Park Project has become a catalyst for transformation that goes beyond the confines of the park. As a sport for social inclusion, skating currently empowers 15 children with special needs, breaking down physical and social barriers, equipping them with the resilience to overcome challenges. Throughout the years of the war in Syria, the park has welcomed and trained over a thousand children from displaced families and the local community—each carrying a special story of perseverance in a nation still healing. #Sport4SDGs #Sportforsocialinclusion

SOS Children's Villages Syria Files a Public Lawsuit to Uncover the Fate of Missing Children

January 23 2025 - Damascus – January 23, 2025 SOS Children's Villages Syria reaffirms its ongoing commitment to supporting children deprived of parental care, especially during the transitional phase the country is going through. In this context, the organization is closely following the case raised on social media regarding the children of the detainee, Dr. Rania Al-Abbasi. The organization expresses its deep sympathy for this humanitarian cause and dedicates its efforts to help uncover their fate by all possible means. Given the importance of the case, and as no information has been found regarding the mentioned children in the organization's records to date, SOS Children's Villages Syria, in consultation with SOS Children's Villages International, submitted a claim to the Public Prosecutor's Office in Damascus on January 13, 2025, to demand the initiation of an official investigation into the disappearance of the children and to assist in uncovering their fate. Consequently, the Public Prosecutor's Office directed the launching of investigations within and outside the organization. The organization has placed all its documents and records at the disposal of the judicial authorities, confirming its full cooperation with the concerned parties to uncover the facts. This action reflects the organization's steadfast commitment to reuniting families and ensuring that every effort is made to uncover the truth and guarantee the best interests of the children. The organization also expresses its deep concern regarding the issue of children who have been separated from their families in recent periods. Since this issue was raised on social media, the organization has promptly cooperated with the Ministry of Social Affairs in Syria and provided all relevant information regarding the children who were placed in its care by previous authorities without sufficient documentation. The organization also called for an urgent investigation and expressed its readiness to cooperate with any authorized official or human rights entity. SOS Children's Villages Syria has been operating in the country since 1975, committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Over the past decades, the organization has continued to perform its duties amidst major challenges, guided by its steadfast principles that prioritize the best interests of children and youth above all else, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances. It is worth noting that SOS Children's Villages International, which operates in more than 136 countries and regions, including Syria, does not align with any political entities or regimes. The organization continues to adhere to its principles and goals, focusing on protecting children, supporting their rights, and ensuring they grow up in an environment that provides the family care they need. SOS Children's Villages Syria hopes that the judicial authorities will be able to determine the fate of the children and reunite them with their families as soon as possible. As always, all decisions and steps taken by the organization stem from its deep commitment to the best interests of the children and ensuring their rights. For more information, please contact: MediaPress@sos-syria.org

SOS Children's Villages is committed to providing care to the most vulnerable children around the world.

December 13 2024 - We have a proud history of working in Syria for over 49 years, including through the country’s difficult times. SOS Children’s Villages Syria has been operating in the country since 1975, overcoming complex challenges during periods of significant political and social unrest. To uphold the best interests of children and young people, and ensure their well-being, regardless of their background or circumstances. SOS Children’s Villages Syria operates under the umbrella of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, as is common practice for humanitarian organisations in the region. This arrangement has enabled us to deliver vital services directly to those in need without undue interference. We recognise previous concerns about the care provided to children classified as ‘security cases’ during the civil war. These children were referred to our programmes by the former Syrian authorities, and their care was consistent with our principles of prioritising the safety and well-being of children in sensitive circumstances. SOS Children’s Villages International has fully supported previous efforts to trace these children and reunite them with their families where possible, in line with international best practice. The association was contacted by the family of Rania Abbasi Yassin to inquire about the presence of her six children with the association. The association provided the necessary support to ensure that the children were not with us and to inform the family that full support would be provided by us to help in obtaining any information related to the children. We ask God to reunite them with their family as soon as possible.