“ Dieatuna” initiative pioneering ideas that lead the community a better life

Since youth form a significant part of society , they have an important and prominent role in supporting society’s progress and activating its development .  

Various youth  initiatives play a key role in developing an individual’s sense of social responsibility  through programs and activities targeting different age categories. “Dieatuna” ( Our village) initiative in Lattakia is one among such initiatives . 

Shedding light on this initiative Syriatimes e-newspaper interviewed the founder of the initiative Miss Manar Aboud who said “ Through “Dieatuna” initiative we try to embody the idea that the world is a small village. It  is a  voluntary youth initiative  launched from the urgent and growing need in the local community for the existence of a community work nucleus that stimulates positive change   and launches sustainable initiatives based on available local resources”.

She underlined that the initiative seeks to achieve  knowledge,  economic and social empowerment through carrying out training workshops  and activities  that target all  age categories in Lattakia city and its countryside.   

“ The human being is a holy resource so the initiative’s main objectives  are based on  attaining  peace, giving, love, partnership, tolerance and respect” Miss. Manar expressed.  

She  indicated  that in cooperation with the initiative’s volunteers , who are of different specializations and experiences, the  initiative formed a number of clubs including  the environmental green club,  incubator for creativity and innovation , the clubs of “ my grandparents”  heritage, sports, space and astronomy, art and literature, clubs for children as well as  a Safari club to introduced other countries’ culture and traditions.   

The founder  stressed that the initiative is unique to giving young people a real opportunity to be part of the initiative’s effective team who  will in turn start the process of educating others to build a chain of knowledge that does not end in fulfillment of the initiative’s main policy depending on the proverb “Do not feed me a fish, do not teach me to fish, but also  just teach me how to make my hook.”   

The most interactive workshops, according to Miss Manar,  held by the initiative were hairdressing and  making accessories for women, recycling paper , Makrama art (the art of tying cords in a pattern) and  cycle together  ”   campaign to encourage  open-door sport and environmental activities.   

“With  the aim of refining talents , the initiative carried out workshops in the field of theatre, painting, music , literary writing and formed a choir for children” the founder added indicating that the initiative is concerned with the environmental aspect as it launched the “Green Wheel” campaign.   

The initiative, according to  Miss. Abboud, also supports the idea of an electronic blood bank, as it collected  data for the largest possible number of donors in the countryside of Lattakia to be used in emergency situations.   

“ within the framework of reviving the rich deep-rooted Syrian heritage  “ Dieatuna” initiative held  tournaments for heritage games, such as al-Munqla and al-Zahr, chess and wedding ceremonies and traditional food dishes.” The founder added.  

She indicated that “Depending on adolescents in implementing a number of the initiative’s activities  was a challenge. These adolescents were able to present themselves with a high  degree of awareness and responsibility of the importance of what they do”. 

“ Dieatuna initiative is a platform through which we seek to  be active and support building-up our society , share the moments of hope, happiness and  address human messages  to the world that the Syrian youths  are  creative and never loose hope to take part effectively in reconstructing their lovely homeland” Miss . Manar concluded.   

Interviewed by : Rawaa Ghanam