From 7 - 10 May 2013, a group of international peace activists traveled to Damascus with Mairead Maguire, a Nobel Peace Laureate, and Mother Agnes Mariam. This is a record of our visit. It presents some of the courageous people we met.

These images were taken in Lebanon in May 2013. The children are mostly from Yarmouk in Damascus, a Palestinian 'camp' cum suburb. The mothers were reluctant to be photographed but were very friendly and chatty, and expressed their love for Syria and their wish to return (if they could not get on a plane with me to Australia, one said). There are a few individual images of children who look forlorn and lost as refugee children are often depicted; however,I hoped to show the children as they presented themselves to us - high-spirited and bright. They could be my neighbour's children, but unlike the children next door, they face a very uncertain future. Yet, their future may determine ours to some extent, wherever we are.
(Soon after these images were taken, a SKY news reporter filmed people from Yarmouk prevented from returning home by 'rebels'.)

In early May 2013, I joined a group of international peace activists who met in Beirut and then traveled to Damascus. While in Lebanon, we visited camps for people who had fled the terror and fighting in Syria. These are images of children in one camp. Most in this camp had fled the violence just on the other side of the Lebanese border. Despite extremely difficult living conditions, these children maintain the spirit and energy of most kids. But their parents understand that the fighting in Syria must end for that spirit to be maintained and their education continued back in Syria. They expressed their desire to be able to return home.

These photographs were taken on two separate trips to Damascus, the first in November 2008 and the second in May 2009.

The Greek Orthodox Convent of Seidnayya has been a place of pilgrimage for many centuries, mainly due to the miracles attributed to an icon of the Virgin Mary, supposedly painted by St Luke. The icon has been covered to protect it from exposure to light etc, but pilgrims can enter the tiny room where it is held.

Most of these photos appear in other albums I've created, but I realised that they would do better in an album dedicated to them, and to the women of Damascus!

On a recent trip to Syria, I approached friends and women I came across in cafes and shops etc for their photos, explaining that I would upload the photos onto the Internet. I wanted to challenge the common stereotypes presented in Australia of Middle Eastern women. I also hoped to present the wonderful cultural diversity that exists within Syria. I hope these images reveal the tremendous spirit and strength of so many women I have met in Syria.

These images were taken at recent rallies in Melbourne that were organized by people within the Syrian and Lebanese Australian communities. The people attended the rallies to express their support for President al-Assad and the recently introduced reforms, as well as national dialogue. I interviewed several participants and they spoke of their fear of 'terrorism' against soldiers, security personnel and civilians escalating in Syria. They support a peaceful road to democracy.

Damascus is reputedly the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world; it holds a lot of stored memories and magic.

The people in this album were friendly faces I encountered in the streets, homes, shops or galleries of Damascus in November - December 2008 and later in May - June 2009.

Again, most of these images are in albums I have on Jalbum, but I think an album dedicated to the women of Syria is an excellent introduction to the diverse cultural and religious mix evident in Syria. It also makes a statement on where the country is today.

In November 2008, I wandered around Damascus with my new Canon G10 to see the city as the locals might see it, through their eyes, with love.

These photos were taken on a visit to Damascus in November - December 2008. Most if not all of the subjects are Damascenes; some are close friends, others are friendly faces or simply people who make up the wonderful diversity of the city.