How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

At Culture Tank Factory (CTF), we approach capacity building not as a series of technical workshops, but as a long-term political, cultural, and organizational process that strengthens the civic ecosystem from within.
Our methodology combines critical analysis, grassroots engagement, and applied praxis, allowing civil society actors to understand their realities, articulate their rights, and design interventions that shift power structures rather than simply react to them.

Cluster 1 Advocacy, Campaigning & Community Mobilization
“From survival to influence: building civic power through culture and collective action.”
This cluster helps Syrian civil society actors transition from reactive, fragmented advocacy to strategic, long-term civic influence. CTF approaches advocacy not as slogans or campaigns, but as a cultural and political practice that transforms how communities understand themselves and their role in public life.
Participants learn how to design advocacy strategies, map power dynamics, construct narrative frames, and mobilize communities ethically and safely. Through practical tools and creative methodologies, we explore how arts and cultural expression can shift public conversations, humanize political issues, and expand the space for civic participation.
We also focus on digital advocacy, recognizing that the virtual sphere has become Syria’s primary public space. Participants learn how to navigate online mobilization, protect themselves digitally, and translate online visibility into real influence.
The cluster ends with modules on community mobilization and alliance-building, enabling CSOs to break out of isolation and cultivate the collective strength required for systemic change.

Cluster 2 Public Policy, Policy Drafting & Political Education
“Demystifying policy: turning community needs into political language and actionable proposals.”
This cluster introduces civil society actors to the architecture of public policy, helping them understand how decisions are made, how systems function, and where influence is possible.
We break down the policy cycle, identify entry points for grassroots actors, and examine how civic organizations can become legitimate contributors to political processes—even under authoritarian, transitional, or hybrid contexts.
Participants learn how to draft policy briefs, transform lived experiences into evidence-based recommendations, and communicate with policymakers using structured, persuasive language.
A special focus is placed on party laws, association laws, and syndicate frameworks relevant to Syria’s future political configurations.
CTF brings its signature expertise in cultural policy to this cluster:
We introduce participants to the concepts of cultural rights, cultural democracy, and the political role of cultural institutions.
This allows CSOs not only to advocate for policy reforms, but also to situate culture as a legitimate and necessary actor within national governance.

Cluster 3 Organizational & Governance Capacity (Horizontal, Participatory Structures)
“Building the internal democracies we hope to see in the future.”
Here, the focus shifts inward.
CTF supports civil society organizations to build transparent, participatory, and democratic internal structures that reflect their values and enhance their effectiveness.
Participants explore horizontal governance, power-sharing mechanisms, ethical leadership models, and collective decision-making techniques.
We help organizations diagnose their internal bottlenecks and redesign their structures in ways that increase sustainability, accountability, and legitimacy.
A unique part of this cluster is our training on alternative syndicates and membership-based entities. Drawing on models from Lebanon, Tunisia, and Europe, we examine how cultural and civic workers can organize to protect their rights, create collective bargaining power, and enter political decision-making arenas.
This cluster also includes modules on strategic planning and organizational management, ensuring that advocacy, policy, and cultural work remain anchored in coherent, long-term institutional strategies.

Cluster 4 Research, Documentation & Knowledge Production
“Knowledge as resistance: producing our narratives, not consuming them.”
CTF, as a think-and-do tank, brings a strong research methodology that empowers civil society actors to study, document, and interpret their realities through their own lenses.
This cluster trains participants in qualitative research methods—interviews, observation, thematic analysis—as well as the ethics of working with sensitive or vulnerable communities.
We emphasize the role of documentation as a political act: how archiving experiences, stories, and cultural practices can protect collective memory and support future advocacy.
We also focus on improving participants' communication and writing skills, teaching them how to craft impactful articles, policy pieces, and public essays that shift discourse and challenge dominant narratives about Syria.
Finally, participants learn how to use Creative Commons, open-source tools, and digital archiving to make knowledge accessible, transparent, and reusable—a core principle of CTF’s cultural democracy approach.

Cluster 5 Cross-Sector, Intersectional Modules (Youth, Feminism, Culture, Justice)
“Where struggles meet: connecting cultural work with gender, class, justice, and youth leadership.”
This cluster is designed to help civil society actors understand the deep intersections between cultural work and broader political struggles.
We explore how gender roles, class dynamics, generational disparities, and regional inequalities shape political participation and civic expression in Syria.
Participants gain tools for designing intersectional advocacy, youth-centered initiatives, and feminist governance models that challenge exclusionary structures.
We also introduce the role of culture in transitional justice, memory, and community healing—highlighting how artistic practices can contribute to accountability, dignity, and long-term reconciliation.
This cluster allows organizations to embed inclusivity, justice, and solidarity across all their programs—not as add-ons, but as structural principles.