I lived my whole life in Damascus city, and studies there economics and business administration. Since 2005 I started working with an international organization named the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), which is a UN organization that supports NGOs at grassroots level for implementing environment-related projects.

Through this work I developed interest in major environmental issues of the world, and was fascinated with international movements that seek to develop an alternative lifestyle such as eco-villages, transition towns, and of course permaculture. After spending some time reading and researching on this topic I decided that this is the cause I want to live and fight for.

First action to translate this believe was attending a PDC with Geoff Lawton in nearby Jordan on October 2009, and since then I am working on exploring ways to introduce permaculture into Syria in a way that can be applicable in the local context.

Due to lack of access to land, my current permaculture activities are limited to networking with people with potential interest or support, providing material explaining Permaculture in Arabic, as this term is almost unheard of in our region.
Additionally, I look to support permaculture activities in the developing world by providing advice on how to get access to grants from their local SGP offices.

On the issue of introducing permaculture to Syria, I wish to connect with any permaculturist who can spend some time in our region and help on establishing demonstration sites and providing training to local people.

I long to see an active network of Arab permaculturist who will join hands to develop and spread a locally-accepted and adapted culture of sustainability.