Trip to Zabadani 2011, it was my last 🙁
In 2011, just before Bashar al-Assad launched his bombardment and committed atrocities and war crimes, I visited our beloved villa in Zabadani for the final time. Built by my father, as his father had done before him, through years of tireless effort and dedication, this villa stood proudly in Zabadani, only 40 miles from Damascus. It was a treasured haven for our extended family—a place where children swam, played, and shared endless moments of fun. The crisp, clean air resonated with laughter and joy, leaving us with cherished memories that lingered in our hearts.
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Then, al-Assad’s actions changed everything, and all of it was gone. The villa, once a symbol of our family’s unity and happiness, was lost to the chaos and destruction that followed. The memories of those peaceful times remain, but the physical place where they were made is no more.
Aerial footage over Zabadani captured by a drone reveals the extensive destruction and devastation caused by atrocities and war crimes linked to Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.
However, I vow to go back and rebuild it, to once again become what it was. The villa in Zabadani will rise from the ashes, and the laughter and joy of our family will fill its halls once more. It will once again be a place where our children can play, where we can gather, and where we can create new memories while cherishing the old. The spirit of resilience and hope will guide us as we restore what was lost, ensuring that our legacy of unity and happiness endures.
To my brothers and sisters and all the kids: I am going to need your help and financial support to rebuild it. My father’s legacy and his father before him cannot and will not stay forgotten.
By coming together, we can restore not only the physical structure but also the essence of what it represented—a haven of love, laughter, and shared memories. Each contribution, no matter how small, will bring us one step closer to reviving the cherished place where our family’s story was written and will continue to be written.
Let us honor the hard work and dedication of “baba hani” by ensuring that Zabadani legacy lives on. Together, we have the power to rekindle the spirit of the villa in creating a space where our kids and grandkids can experience the same warmth and happiness that once defined our gatherings.
Your support is invaluable, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing with me in this endeavor.
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