Karam Returns Home to Damascus, Syria
In an unprecedented display of resilience and innovation, Syrian youth took center stage at the “Makers of Tomorrow” showcase on October 28, 2025. Hosted by Beit Karam, the pioneering community hub for education and rebuilding, in partnership with Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung (FES), the event was a powerful testament to the generation’s excitement to reshape Syria’s future.
This gathering symbolized a generational turning point, from a decade defined by displacement and loss to a new chapter of rebuilding, creativity, and civic recovery. As Lina Sergie Attar, Founder and CEO of Karam Foundation, stated, “To me, Beit Karam represents hope returning home.“
The Future is Mobile: Unveiling Karam Caravan
The day’s highlight was the official public debut of Karam Caravan, an innovative, mobile makerspace on wheels. Fully equipped with 3D printers and laser cutters, the traveling classroom will bring advanced, hands-on learning to underserved communities across Syria.
“Karam Caravan is a traveling classroom that brings creative tools and mentors to different communities across Syria,” Lina explained, emphasizing that it is designed to allow students to design, build, and experiment with real projects that serve their communities firsthand.
Government officials, educators, and partners attended live demonstrations of students in the Caravan’s mini-studio, showcasing project-based learning and the growth of confidence/leadership skills.
Youth Voices: At the Center of Syria’s Future
At the core of “Makers of Tomorrow” was a dynamic intergenerational panel discussion featuring graduates from Karam’s programs. Moderated by Lina Sergie Attar, the youth leaders engaged in critical conversations that put their perspectives at the forefront of national recovery.
Key themes explored included: Civic Engagement in a Fragile Context, The Role of Education in Empowerment, and Innovation and Creative Engagement.
The panelists affirmed a belief central to Beit Karam’s mission: their ideas matter. Lina drove this point home, saying, “The kids who walk through the Karam House doors don’t just learn about the world’s challenges; they reimagine what’s possible. They use creativity, collaboration, and purpose to design solutions that make life better for their families, their neighbors, and their country. And to me, that is true leadership.”
The exhibition booths offered an immersive look into the innovation sparking within Beit Karam’s programs, including Oculus Projection of student-created virtual worlds, a startup-bound Gaming Segment, and a live Robotics Assembly demonstration.
This hands-on approach underscores the organization’s central tenet: “Education and creativity are the most powerful tools for recovery.”
Lina reinforced the significance of every student project on display: “Every project you see here, every design, every idea, is a spark and step toward a thriving, free Syria.”Beit Karam, founded in Aleppo and now active in Damascus, is described as a “home for possibilities”, a locally-rooted response to the challenges of rebuilding civic life. “Beit Karam is a creative education space… designed to give young Syrians the opportunity to learn, build, and imagine a better future,” said Lina.
The event’s key message was clear: The future of Syria depends on its youth.
“We believe in building not only what was lost, but what was always possible,” is the core philosophy. This event was a rallying call for continued multi-sector collaborations and investment to grow a generation of 10,000 Syrian Leaders by 2028. As Lina concluded, “All around us, we’re seeing the first generation of Syrians who will rebuild their communities from within.”
The showcase served as a powerful reminder: these youth are not waiting for change—they are leading it.