STORY: On site in Damascus: Syria hopes for peace and stability in 2025
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 20, 2024
DATELINE: Dec. 21, 2024
LENGTH: 0:02:29
LOCATION: Damascus
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP (English): HUMMAM SHEIKH ALI, Xinhua reporter

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): HUMMAM SHEIKH ALI, Xinhua reporter
"As 2024 draws to a close, Syria stands at the cusp of a new era. It's been a couple of weeks since the sudden collapse of the old political system, and daily life here in Damascus is slowly reassembling itself. Shops have reopened, students have returned to schools, and flights between Damascus and Aleppo have resumed. If I had to pick the most memorable moment of 2024, it would have to be those extraordinary days in early December, when the old authorities disappeared almost overnight. Now, as we look ahead to the coming year, local people here tell me the same thing over and over: they want peace, they want safe streets, fair prices for bread and essentials, stable jobs, and the freedom to plan their futures without outside interference. There's hope, albeit cautious, that the new interim government and the one that will follow after three months, together with international support, can lay the groundwork for genuine security and prosperity after more than 13 years of devastating war. They're counting on more dialogue, fewer guns, and the strength of communities that have weathered so much. So what's the New Year's wish that captures the mood here in Damascus? Let's keep it simple: May this next year bring the peace, stability, and dignity that Syrians have long deserved and always dreamed of."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Damascus.
(XHTV)