During periods of war and chaos, countries enter into what become historical chapters of obscurity, disagreement, and conflicting narratives. Contending parties attempt to construct a path forward that will afford them the greatest amount of control and power, while taking advantage of the malleability of the historical record. Incumbent regimes, in particular, often stand the most to lose from an honest cataloguing of events. In the case of the Syrian revolution turned brutal civil war, such a maxim holds particular weight. After all, the Assad regime, under both father and son, has long dealt in a currency of information control, thought suppression, and raw intimidation. In light of this, a need emerged for authentic and expansive historical documentation that knew no parties and served no agendas.

UMAM D&R partnered with ETANA Syria to launch a project in December 2014 that would work towards improving, streamlining, and centralizing the documentation efforts to catalogue the Syrian civil war, efforts that took place amidst immense danger and risk. "Memory at Work Syria: A Toolbox for Rethinking Syria" was a multi-faceted undertaking that centered on the creation of a digital resource platform modeled after UMAM D&R's own Memory at Work website.

During periods of war and chaos, countries enter into what become historical chapters of obscurity, disagreement, and conflicting narratives. Contending parties attempt to construct a path forward that will afford them the greatest amount of control and power, while taking advantage of the malleability of the historical record. Incumbent regimes, in particular, often stand the most to lose from an honest cataloguing of events. In the case of the Syrian revolution turned brutal civil war, such a maxim holds particular weight. After all, the Assad regime, under both father and son, has long dealt in a currency of information control, thought suppression, and raw intimidation. In light of this, a need emerged for authentic and expansive historical documentation that knew no parties and served no agendas.

UMAM D&R partnered with ETANA Syria to launch a project in December 2014 that would work towards improving, streamlining, and centralizing the documentation efforts to catalogue the Syrian civil war, efforts that took place amidst immense danger and risk. "Memory at Work Syria: A Toolbox for Rethinking Syria" was a multi-faceted undertaking that centered on the creation of a digital resource platform modeled after UMAM D&R's own Memory at Work website.

The complimentary website, Memory at Work/Syria, brings together a plethora of raw, unedited material for public consumption while stripping away any constructed narratives or political repurposing. Moreover, the website contains material from before the civil war since an adequate understanding of contemporary events requires one to peel back diluting layers and trace problems to their historical roots, a practice especially necessary when dealing with the history of a police state like Syria.

In addition to the website, a couple of meetings were held away from the immediate conflict zone while a series of small, sensitive meetings were held in Lebanon and throughout Syria to discuss ways material could be safely collected, transported, and digitized. The meetings also sought to empower activists and professionals to safely navigate the dynamic landscape of war-torn Syria as they worked to ensure that if and when the day comes to hold guilty parties accountable, there will be a clear record of events ready to streamline the historical reckoning.