I am a Syrian. War has stolen my world!

Raju Korti
For the past two decades, Syria has been my shattered home -- a place of relentless turmoil, where every breath is a testament to survival amidst chaos. I remember the days before the war, when Damascus was a city of vibrant souks, the laughter of children, and the mingling scents of spices and flowers. Those days are now memories that feel like they belong to another world, a distant dream.

When the conflict began, life as we knew it unravelled. Bombings became a haunting symphony that played day and night. Our neighborhoods turned into battlegrounds, and homes crumbled like sandcastles under the relentless assault. I watched my city, my country, disintegrate into rubble, the air thick with dust and the cries of the wounded. The simple act of finding water or bread became a perilous mission.

Fear became a constant companion. Each day, we faced the grim reality of losing loved ones to the violence. Friends vanished, families were torn apart, and the streets we once strolled down with carefree hearts turned into corridors of death and despair. The uncertainty was suffocating. We never knew if the next hour would bring safety or sorrow, life or death.

Education, once a beacon of hope, dimmed as schools shut their doors. The dreams of our children were buried under the debris of war. Hospitals overflowed with the injured, but the lack of medical supplies turned them into places of despair rather than healing. We became accustomed to the sight of lifeless bodies, the stench of blood, and the echo of unanswered prayers.

As the years dragged on, survival demanded impossible choices. To flee or to stay? To trust or to hide? We faced the gut-wrenching decision to leave behind everything we had ever known in search of refuge. Those who stayed continued to fight an invisible enemy: hunger, disease, and the ever-looming threat of bombs. Those who fled faced the harsh reality of life as refugees, often finding new kinds of hardships in foreign lands.

Despite the unending strife, moments of humanity shone through. Neighbours shared what little they had, risking their lives to help each other. In the darkest of times, kindness became our currency, and solidarity our shield. Amidst the ruins, we found strength in each other, clinging to the hope that someday, peace would return.

Two decades of war have etched deep scars into our hearts and our land. The struggle to rebuild is daunting, but the spirit of resilience remains unbroken. We carry the burden of our past, but with it, the unwavering determination to see a brighter future for Syria. In the silence after the bombs, in the whispers of those who survived, there is a promise that one day, our beloved Syria will rise from the ashes.

Life has been a harrowing journey of loss and survival, but within us burns the hope for a peaceful tomorrow. But will it ever dawn?