A regime that was considered untouchable for decades has fallen within a very short space of time. The new rulers in Damascus are a cause for both concern and hope. In Syria, we are witnessing a political upheaval that is as surprising as it is momentous. What led to the collapse of Assad's rule? What role did the internal Syrian resistance, regional players and international dynamics play? While the country has been scarred by almost 14 years of war, humanitarian crisis and economic collapse, the change of power in Syria is also turning the region upside down.

Kristin Helberg, journalist and Middle East expert, sheds light on the background to this upheaval and raises the question of the new centre of power: who is the man at the top and what are his goals? Can he unite the Syrians and stabilise the shattered country? At the same time, it shows how the change is influencing the geopolitical structure of the entire region and bringing new international forces into play. The dictatorship of Assad and the Baath Party in Syria has just (surprisingly) come to an end after decades and as a result of the civil war since 2011. What will happen next in Syria and what the consequences will be for the region as well as the implications for other wars and conflicts can hardly be predicted with certainty.

Moderation: Eileen Mägel

In co-operation with the Volkshochschule Dresden e. V. and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Regional Office Saxony.
This event is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget adopted by the Saxon State Parliament.

Photo: Jan Kulke

Admission free