In the world of international politics and diplomacy, success is not measured by temporary media presence, but rather by the ability to build a legitimate and sustainable infrastructure that ensures the voices of our communities and their just causes reach decision-makers directly.
Today, marking the first anniversary of its founding, The Foundation for the Development of Western Syria (WSD) is proud to establish itself as a licensed and effective institutional voice in the United States of America. The Foundation has proven that genuine influence and advocacy efforts are not built on slogans, but require a solid legal cover; therefore, the organization operates under the umbrella of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) with the official registration number (7629), which is the legal and legitimate framework that grants our efforts the highest degrees of transparency and strength to operate within the halls of Capitol Hill.
From this institutional standpoint, we have continued to strengthen our strategic partnership with leading lobbying and public relations firms in Washington, specifically Tiger Hill Partners LLC. Through this extended partnership, we have succeeded in transforming human rights initiatives into a tangible political reality, opening official halls and the offices of senior lawmakers and diplomats to discuss the region’s crises with transparency and professionalism.
Effective Civil Diplomacy: Milestones and Achievements (2025 – 2026)
The Foundation’s advocacy and civil diplomacy efforts have formed a fundamental and pivotal factor in conveying the issues of victims and civilians to international decision-making centers. These efforts culminated in a series of high-level briefings within the US Congress:
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March 2026: Organizing and sponsoring an exceptional media briefing in Washington to commemorate the first anniversary of the violent events targeting the Alawite and Christian communities in the Syrian coast in 2025. The briefing included important testimonies and a human rights report addressing the massacres committed against Alawites and daily violations, including cases of kidnapping, forced disappearance, and torture in prisons.
To view the press report for this briefing, click here
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July 2026: Hosting and organizing a comprehensive media briefing in Congress marking the first anniversary of the Swaida massacres. During the event, precise human rights files documenting the violations and systematic siege were presented. It also shed light on the tragedy of abducted Syrian women in general, and Alawite women in particular, while securing full logistical and security coverage for the event.
To read our published article and the key highlights of this briefing, click here
Breaking Through the Walls of Decision-Making: Intensive Parliamentary and Diplomatic Meetings
The organization worked on building strategic partnerships and organizing high-level congressional meetings to enforce accountability mechanisms and civilian protection. These moves included:
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Meetings with the Congress and the Senate:
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A meeting with Senator Markwayne Mullin and Representative Jimmy Panetta, which reviewed the documented violations against Christians following the bombing of St. Elias Church, in addition to the displacement of Alawites from Sumariya and the conditions of Mufti Hassoun’s detention.
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In-depth discussions with Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Senator Jacky Rosen, focusing on the human rights dossier, and ensuring justice and political transition for the stability of local communities.
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A continuous series of meetings with the office of Representative Darrell Issa (started in 2025 and renewed in 2026) to follow up on urgent humanitarian files and the protection of affected minorities in the coast and targeted areas, with a continuous update of field data.
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A strategic meeting with the office of Representative Brian Mast, to emphasize international accountability mechanisms and assert that any potential lifting of sanctions must be conditioned on guaranteeing the protection of all Syrian components, as an effective pressure tool on the regime.
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Communication with Defense and Security Committees:
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A pivotal meeting was held with the Senate Armed Services Committee, during which field reports and an assessment of security risks facing civilians were presented. The Foundation formally requested amending the draft National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to include an explicit clause for the protection of Alawites and Christians, alongside the Druze and Kurds.
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International Diplomacy:
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The Foundation’s activities extended to international missions, holding a meeting with representatives from the Australian Embassy in Washington to present the dimensions of the humanitarian crisis and emphasize the priority of protecting vulnerable Syrian communities across all spectrums.
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Our Sustainable Goals: Protection, Decentralization, and Accountability
In its documented work, the Foundation is based on three main objectives:
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Protection of Minorities: Continuous advocacy to ensure the safety of Christians, Alawites, Druze, Kurds, and all vulnerable groups in Syria.
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Political Decentralization: Pushing towards federalism and decentralization as structural protective measures to ensure the survival of a multi-sectarian state, away from partition projects.
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Human Rights Demands: Firm calls for international investigations into past massacres, revealing the fate of the missing and detainees, and ending all forms of violations against women and local communities, especially in coastal areas.
Because protecting the causes of our communities and delivering their voices to decision-making centers requires sustainable institutional work, supported by real investment and strong logistical partnerships that secure space and a platform for all, we at The Foundation for the Development of Western Syria open the doors of partnership and support to all forces, figures, and institutions seeking to build a tangible political and human rights impact.
Join us, and let us unite under the umbrella of legitimate and institutional work to make a real difference.
For communication, strategic partnership, and to support our upcoming initiatives in Washington, please contact us at: [[email protected]]