2025 Justice for Syria: Recital & Symposium

19.00 Wassim Mukdad: Solo Oud RECITAL 

We are delighted to welcome the Berlin - based Syrian Oud player Wassim Mukdad, who studied Oud and Piano at the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus.

Wassim's recital offers a unique opportunity to hear his characteristic style, mixing elements from Tarab, dance, and medieval genres.

20.00 Panel: JUSTICE FOR SYRIA 

Joining Wassim for the symposium that follows, the world’s leading figures in accountability and justice for Syria:

• Dr Patrick Kroker – Human rights lawyer for ECCHR (European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights)
• Joumana Seif - Human rights lawyer for ECCHR, Founder - Syrian Women's Political Movement
• Ambassador Stephen Rapp - Former U.S. Ambassador for War Crimes, Chair - The Commission for International Justice and Accountability, Blavatnik Senior Fellow
• Federica D'Alessandra - Deputy Director, Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict at Blavatnik School of Government
• Giles Trendle - Former Head of the Al Jazeera English network
• Moderator: Nina Donaghy – TV news correspondent, Blavatnik Fellow, St Hilda’s alumna

Wassim served as an emergency room medic during the Syrian civil war and is a former prisoner of the Assad regime, simply for participating in peaceful demonstrations. He has since served as a key eye witness for the first ever war crimes trials for Syria. He and other survivors are represented by Patrick Kroker and Joumana Seif.  Former US Ambassador for War Crimes, Stephen Rapp, ran a covert operation throughout the conflict, gathering evidence he describes as 'richer than Nuremberg'. Their story is told in 'The Trial of Anwar Raslan' presented by Nina Donaghy for Al Jazeera.