Syria Peace Project

Who we are

The Syria Peace Project (SPP) is a faculty-led, “think-and-do” initiative based at Johns Hopkins University, in collaboration with global partners, dedicated to advancing sustainable peacebuilding efforts in Syria.

As Syria enters a pivotal phase of recovery and development, its people continue to face a complex web of domestic and regional conflicts, further exacerbated by widespread humanitarian inequities including health, security, and other essential services. Rash statebuilding decisions without addressing these conflicts have led to major atrocities and a renewed power struggle. This highlights the need for evidence-based guided policy on decondlicting and powersharing in rebuilding Syria.

Building on the team’s recognition through the Johns Hopkins Discovery Award (2022) and the Nexus Award (2024), the SPP harnesses the University’s multidisciplinary strengths in conflict resolution, public administration, security, design innovation, and health systems.

This is coupled with the practical expertise of an expansive international network, both within and outside Syria, to address these challenges through research-informed, action-oriented solutions.

Our Vision

To inform and implement robust, evidence-based humanitarian-development-peacebuilding projects that address conflicts in Syria at all levels—from local communities to regional struggles—fostering a resilient and inclusive society.

Our Mission

The Syria Peace Project (SPP) advances its mission by drawing on interdisciplinary expertise from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), the School of Medicine, the Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Center for Biomedical Innovation and Design. It also partners closely with Syrian-American organizations active on the ground. SPP’s approach is anchored in the following pillars:

1. Conflict Research
SPP conducts comprehensive, participatory research that engages diverse stakeholders to map the layers of conflict within and around Syria. This work aims to identify patterns of violence, sources of tension, and opportunities for strategic interventions.

2. Integrated Peacebuilding Solutions
SPP designs and implements conflict-transformative programs that integrate humanitarian service delivery, local capacity building, and inclusive governance development. These interventions are co-created with local actors to foster equitable recovery and sustainable peace.

3. Policy Guidance
SPP develops evidence-based tools to evaluate the impact of interventions on community cohesion. Drawing from these insights, it formulates policy recommendations that inform local, national, and international actors working toward durable peace in Syria and similar post-conflict settings.

Team Members

Majd AlGhatrif, MD, MA, Director, Health-peace nexus

Dr. Majd AlGhatrif is a Professor and Director of the Syria Peace Project at Johns Hopkins University. He holds a Master’s degree in Global Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), with a concentration in local governance and power-sharing models as tools for peacebuilding in Syria. Dr. AlGhatrif serves as a governance and health systems consultant to the Swiss government and the European Union, advising on the restructuring of the health sector in Syria. He is also the Founding President of the Swaida American Society, a leading community-based organization representing the Druze-majority population from Swaida, Syria, in the United States. Under his leadership, the Society implements large-scale humanitarian programs that serve over 200,000 residents across Swaida Governorate.

Daniel Serwer, PhD, Co-Director, Conflict Resolution

Dr. Serwer is a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He was previously professor of Practice of Conflict Management as well as director of the Conflict Management and American Foreign Policy programs at SAIS. Serwer is also a research scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington D.C.

Serwer served as a minister-counselor with the U.S. Department of State. He was deputy chief of mission and chargé d'affaires at US Embassy Rome from 1990 to 1993 and from 1994 to 1996, special envoy and coordinator for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During this posting, Serwer mediated between Croats and Bosniaks to build the institutions of the Federation, and negotiated the first agreement reached at the 1995 Dayton peace talks.

Ziad Hilal, humanitarian diplomacy

Ziad HILAL is a Special Advisor to the N.S. Family Office. He was a peace mediator in collaboration with the UN and others humanitarian and global organizations. During the Syrian civil war, He traveled around the world to promote peace, was awarded for his efforts by several foundations and organization. Also, he also serves as an advisor to the several Foundations in Middle East and Europe. He was director of several NGO humanitarian organizations that collaborate with the various Christian denominations and with the UN. He founded many centers for children, designed to help them experience peace and reconciliation in their environment. He is also Co-founder of the French Foundation AFSES (Association Franco-Syrienne Espoir).

Khaled Derbas, Security-peace nexus expert

Khaled Derbas - management consultant with experience in change management and cross-cultural initiatives. He has worked with U.S. government agencies and The World Bank Group, He is also a senior advisor for Hostage Aid Worldwide, focusing on humanitarian diplomacy. Currently, he is perusing a Master’s in Global Affairs at George Mason University, with a concentration on the nexus of transnational security, development, and peace. He is anctive U,S. Navy reservist.

Jalal Messady, Counterterrorism-peace nexus

He is a mediation advisor at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD). He has 20 years of experience working on conflicts in the Middle East, focussing on areas such as the development and counterterrorism nexus, climate change and food security, stabilization and recovery policies in post conflict situations. Mr. Mesady has worked with several international organizations such as the World Bank, European Investment Bank, and several UN organizations. Since 2019, Mr. Mesady is working with HD as their advisor based in Damascus.