In the war-ravaged town of Daraya, on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, a group of Syrian artists has turned a bombed-out house into a canvas of remembrance.
On the collapsed ceiling of the ruined building, they have painted a colourful mural honouring the families lost during years of conflict.
The project was led by Bilal Shoraba, an activist and graffiti artist during the Syrian army’s siege of Daraya between 2012 and 2016.
Through that period, when the city was a centre of resistance to the rule of Bashar al Assad, Mr Shoraba created about 30 graffiti works as quiet acts of defiance.
Mr Assad was ousted last December by Islamist militias led by former Al Qaeda and Isis leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, halting nearly 14 years of civil war that killed around half a million people, displaced millions, and left tens of thousands missing.
Mr Jolani soon reverted to using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa and made himself president.
Having returned to Daraya following the takeover by Mr Jolani’s forces, Mr Shoraba launched a workshop with the Dar Ebla Cultural Centre to teach local youth the art of graffiti. The ceiling mural seen grew out of that collaboration – a symbol of resilience and renewal in a place once synonymous with loss.
In the midst of shattered walls and broken homes, their paint brings a touch of colour and hope back to Daraya.
