On 18 May, UNDP Syria posted a video on Twitter. The video was produced in one of the Theatre for Change workshops supported by UNDP. The workshops provide Syrian youth with an outlet for creative expression to help them portray their lived experience through drama, tackle difficult and taboo subjects that affect their daily lives and identify positive coping mechanisms.

Since its production, the video was used to generate a healthy debate among different groups of youth about the root causes of social issues that they prioritize, including gender equality, youth empowerment, tolerance and inclusion, and entry points for action.

UNDP appreciates that the crisis in Syria has transformed relationships between Syrians and has uprooted entire communities, undermining the social fabric and placing significant strain on Internally Displaced Persons and host communities alike. Through our work, we strive to promote inclusiveness and tolerance among communities of diverging political, religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, in rural and urban settings and including internally displaced people and local communities hosting them. We regret any unintended negative portrayal of Syrians through the dramatization in the video and understand the subsequent negative reactions and criticism, and have accordingly removed it.

UNDP Syria welcomes feedback on its projects and is always ready to engage in dialogue.