Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
LIKE many people around the world, we were deeply shocked by the Turkish attack on Kurds and ethnic minorities – Armenians, Assyrians and many more – in Rojava, northern Syria, who were living in harmony and sharing the running of their communities.
In October 2019, the United States suddenly abandoned its Kurdish partners, which had been instrumental in defeating Isis.
Withdrawing US troops gave Turkey’s president Erdogan the green light for invasion. The ethnic cleansing that followed caused a massive displacement of the Kurdish population, including tens of thousands of children.
MAISSON HASSAN highlights how amid bombed-out cities and collapsing hospitals, women-led initiatives are keeping communities alive
VIJAY PRASHAD details how US support for Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa allowed him to break the resistance of the autonomous Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)
Over 30 nations to gather in Colombia to bring a halt to the genocide in Gaza


