So many children in Syria, But no Childhood.. Region: Middle east Population: 22,878,524 Capital: Damascus Climate: The warm season is from May 29 to September 25, average temp 32C. The hottest day is July 27, with an average high of 37C and low of 19C. The cold season is from November 28 to March, average temp 17C. The coldest day is January 16, with an average low of 1C and high of 12C. Languages: Arabic, Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French. Currency: Piastres. Holidays: National day-17 th april Unity day-22 nd february. Area total: 185,180 Region:Europe Population:4,609,600 (2014 Est. Capital:Dublin Area total:70,273 km2 (27,133 sq mi ) Water (%) 2.00 Area land:6.9million hectares Coastline:3172km Climate:Ireland's climate is influenced most by the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, it doesn't have the extreme temperatures that other countries at similar latitude would have. The average temperature is a mild 50F. major warm ocean current called the North Atlantic Drift keeps sea temperatures mild tooA Languages:English, Irish Currency:Euro * Culture of Syria Food in Daily Life. Wheat is the main crop and one of the staple foods. Vegetables, fruits, and dairy products also are eaten. Lamb is popular, but most people cannot afford to eat meat on a regular basis. Islam proscribes the consumption of pork, and other meats must be specially prepared in a method called halal cooking. In middle-class and wealthier homes, meals are like those eaten in other Middle Eastern countries: roast or grilled chicken or lamb with side dishes of rice, chickpeas, yogurt, and vegetables. A mezzeh is a midday meal composed of up to twenty or thirty small dishes. Popular fruits that are grown in the region include dates, figs, plums, and watermelons. Tea is the ubiquitous drink and is often consumed at social gatherings. Soda is also very popular, as is milk and a drink made by mixing yogurt with water, salt, and garlic. Alcohol consumption is rare, as it is forbidden by the Islamic religion, but beer and wine are available, as is arak, an aniseed drink that also is popular in other Middle Eastern countries. Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. Food is an important part of many celebrations. During Ramadan, each day's fast is broken with an evening meal called iftar. This meal begins in silence and is consumed rapidly. Eid al-Fitr, the final breaking of the Ramadan fast, entails the consumption of large quantities of food, sweets in particular. Food is also a central element at weddings, parties, and other festivities. Commercial Activities. The center of commercial activity in each town or city is the souk. People from all walks of life and all ethnic and religious backgrounds come together to buy and sell a wide variety of goods. Spices, meats, vegetables, cloth, traditional handicrafts, and imported products jostle for space in the crowded booths and alleyways. Souks are not just commercial centers but gathering places as well, and haggling is a necessary part of social interactions. Shopping centers and supermarkets exist but have not supplanted this uniquely Arab institution. Secular Celebrations. The major secular holidays are New Year's Day on 1 January, Revolution Day on 8 March, and the anniversary of the formation of the Arab League, 22 March. Syrians celebrate Martyrs Day in memory of the nation's heroes on 6 April; National Day (also known as Evacuation Day, celebrating independence), on 17 April; and the Day of Mourning on 29 November. Music of syria. The music of Syria largely emanates from the country's capital Damascus and the largest city Aleppo. Syria has long been one of the Arab world's centers for cultural and artistic innovation, especially in the field of classical Arab music.SyriaDamascusAleppoclassical Arab music . 1. Uprising turns violent Pro-democracy protests erupted in March 2011 in the southern city of Derria after the arrest and torture of some teenagers who painted revolutionary slogans on a school wall. After security forces opened fire on demonstrators killing several, more took to the streets 2. Descent into civil war * Violence escalated and the country descended into civil war as rebel brigades were formed to battle government forces for control of cities,towns and the countryside. Fighting reached the capital Damascus and the second city of Aleppo in * By June 2013, the UN said 90,000 people had been killed in the conflict. However, by August 2014 that figure had more than doubled to 191,000 - and continued to climb to 250,000 by August 2015, according to activists and the UN. 3. Chemical weapons Hundreds of people were killed in August 2013 after rockets filled with the nerve agent sarin were fired at several agricultural districts around Damascus. Western powers, outraged by the attack, said it could only have been carried out by Syria's government. The regime and its ally Russia blamed rebels.August Humantarian crisis More than four million people have fled Syria since the start of the conflict, most of them women and children. It is one of the largest refugee exoduses in recent history. A further 7.6 million Syrians have been internally displaced within the country, bringing the total number forced to flee their homes to more than 11 million - half the country's pre-crisis population. Overall, an estimated 12.2 million are in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, including 5.6 million children, the UN says.four million people have fled Syria 5. Proxy war What began as another Arab Spring uprising against an autocratic ruler has mushroomed into a brutal proxy war that has drawn in regional and world powers. Iran and Russia have propped up the Alawite-led government of President Assad and gradually increased their support. Tehran is believed to be spending billions of dollars a year to bolster Mr Assad, providing military advisers and subsidised weapons, as well as lines of credit and oil transfers. In September 2015, Russia launched an air campaign against Mr Assad's opponents. Moscow said it was targeting only "all terrorists", above all members of Islamic State, but many of the strikes hit Western-backed rebels and civilians. Refugee crisis Syria crisis: Fast facts 13.5 million people in Syria need humanitarian assistance million Syrians are refugees, and 6.6 million are displaced within Syria; half are children. 2 Most Syrian refugees remain in the Middle East, in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt; slightly more than 10 percent of the refugees have traveled to Europe. 3 Children affected by the Syrian conflict are at risk of becoming ill, malnourished, abused, or exploited. Millions have been forced to quit school. - Whats so urgent now? Winter is coming: Refugees in settlements have fewer resources than ever before. They need adequate food, warm clothes, shoes, blankets, heaters, and fuel. Winter is coming In Lebanon alone, aid agencies estimate that 195,000 Syrian families will need assistance to stay warm and dry over the winter. Why Syrians are fleeing their homes: Three reasons Violence: Since the Syrian civil war began, 320,000 people have been killed, including nearly 12,000 children. About 1.5 million people have been wounded or permanently disabled, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The war has become more deadly since foreign powers joined the conflict. Collapsed infrastructure: Within Syria, healthcare, education systems, and other infrastructure have been destroyed; the economy is shattered. Childrens safety: Syrian children the nations hope for a better future have lost loved ones, suffered injuries, missed years of schooling, and witnessed violence and brutality. Warring parties forcibly recruit children to serve as fighters, human shields, and in support roles, according to the U.S. State Department The crisis in Syria effects more than 12 million people, more than those u had been affected by hurricane Katrina, the Haiti earthquake and the indian ocean tsunami combined. What are the refugees greatest needs? Syrians fleeing conflict need all the basics to sustain their lives: food, clothing, health assistance, shelter, and household and hygiene items. They need reliable supplies of clean water, as well as sanitation facilities. Children need a safe environment and a chance to play and go to school. Adults need employment options in case of long-term displacement. As winter comes, refugees need warm clothing, shoes, bedding, heaters, and heating fuel. The welcome pack for Syrian refugee girl! The first thing that we felt would be necessary to make someone feel welcome and at home would be a simple dressing gown and slippers, it can give a feel of warmth and homeliness for someone who feels so distant from that. The second thing we felt would be necessary for a refugee would be an Arabic/English dictionary as we know that not being able to understand anyone in the country your in can be quite terrifying for them. We felt to make them feel more welcome and to help them make friends and get to know people we would give them a few leaflets for the activities that happen around the town and help them sign up to things theyd be interested in doing. We will also provided them with pyjamas, as it is a simple need for the refugees associated. We will provide toothpaste and toothbrushes also, along with other necessary things the refugee would need as part of their daily life e.g. hairbrush, razors, soap, towels etc. We will give them multiple vouchers to allow them to buy clothing that fits them properly and that they like, instead of buying them clothing that they dont like. Along with all there other toiletries we will give them a months supply of toilet paper to use until they are able to afford there own. A list of job opportunities in the area will be given to the refugees to help them make money and get to know the area and the people around. We will be providing them with all the bedroom furniture needed, for example a bed, lockers, drawers, a wardrobe, lamps etc. We thought it was a good idea to provide them with books so that they can be entertained in there spare time and this will also help the people with poorer English skills. A phone is very important in our opinion as the refugees will not know many people, so by having important number saved in their phone they will feel safer and can access people if they ever have an emergency. A watch is a very practical item which will indeed keep them aware of Irish time as it differs to Syrian time. Lastly we will provide them with all the kitchen utensils and items that would be needed, including plates, cups,bowls, cutlery, knifes, utensils, etc. As a result of different cultures and different tastes, the refugees may not eat a lot of what we would regularly eat so we will be providing them with a fridge full of traditional foods that they can enjoy, along with names and addresses of different supermarkets that specialise in foreign foods. We have included traditional Syrian cds for popular artists in Syria just to help the teenager feel more at home or to cheer them up if theyre having a tough day as we understand how hard it must be to enter a country where you know no one. Along with all the other ways of welcoming one of the teenagers into our community, we decided to give them an invitation to the ball that will be hosted by our Transition Year students in the school, just simply to help them get to know the people they will be in school with better and to help them make more friends. Created by Shreya Pol and Lucy Doyle!