Co-organized by the Global Platform for Syrian Students, founded by president Jorge Sampaio in 2014 and the University of Minho, the Summer School Rebuilding Syria from Within brought together around 50 Syrian participants and took place between the 18th and 28th of July 2018, at the School of Architecture, Art and Design of University of Minho, in cooperation with the Università IUAV de Venezia and the sponsorship of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA).

The Summer School’s main objectives were to reflect on the issues of reconstruction in war-torn Syria, strengthen participants’ understanding and expertise in key areas of the country’s reconstruction, increase their motivation to play an active role in the process, and encourage their involvement in these projects, particularly in the context of academic studies.

A book was created presenting a selection of existing archival material about the Summer School, showing the main activities carried out there and the work produced in seven architectural studios focusing on seven Syrian cities severely damaged by the civil war: Yarmouk Camp, Aleppo , Douma, Hama, Homs, Palmyra and Raqqa: HERE