The Syrian president Dr. Bashar al-Assad and the First Lady Asmaa al-Assad received dignitaries from the Armenian Civil Society in Aleppo on the eve of the memorial of the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottomans.

The first couple discussed the importance of the contributions by the local civil communities in establishing dialogues with all other communities in the country.

President Assad stressed The main challenge ahead of us is not the rebuilding of the infrastructure which were destroyed by the war alone, but to rebuild the Syrian society in the way we are accustomed to it, which includes a homogeneous color mosaic which in whole represents the Syrian people with their special features that distinguish them from the rest of peoples in the world.

The Syrian president added ‘what’s needed today is that various segments of the society open dialogue with each other, there’s no use of having a dialogue within the same society segment as they are already having the same convictions.

‘The civil society is an important and essential reserve for the state in the process of rebuilding the stone and people during the next phase.. The government and non-governmental efforts should be united in the future to complement each other and ultimately benefit the Syrian people in different regions’, Syria’s First Lady told the community group.

Mrs. Assad added: ‘Among the first tasks the civil society should focus on are the social, educational and cultural works, not only humanitarian and relief efforts, to guarantee the building of the Syrian person in full; there’s a need to extend that work in the countrysides not only in the city and its centers.

Over 1.5 million Armenians were exterminated by the brutal Ottomans early last century, and Syria was one of the refuge destinations for the fleeing Armenians whom with their friendly nature managed to mingle well in their new hosting country creating a very strong bond between Armenia and Syria that was demonstrated in the current crisis by the Armenian strong stand by their Syrian brethren.