"Dijit" Center for Digital Innovation launched in Damascus with UN and Japanese support.
The "Dejat" Digital Innovation Center was launched in the Kafr Sousa area of the Syrian capital, as the first project of its kind in the country, in the presence of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Marwan Al-Halabi, and the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Hind Kabawat, with support from the United Nations Development Program and funding from the Japanese government.
The center aims to enhance the innovation environment and technological entrepreneurship in Syria by providing advanced training spaces, laboratories to support startups, and professional empowerment programs for youth, contributing to job creation and economic recovery.
Dr. Al-Halabi emphasized that "Dejat" represents a step in a series of initiatives aimed at promoting digital transformation and artificial intelligence in higher education institutions, stating: "Higher education must shift from a knowledge transmitter to a hub for digital transformation," stressing the importance of integration between government policies, the private sector, and civil society to achieve comprehensive digital development.
Minister Kabawat explained that the center, completed in four months, serves as an integrated platform to embrace youth potential and connect it with job opportunities, highlighting the "importance of integrating social and developmental work with technological transformation, especially through youth empowerment centers in the provinces."
Sudipto Mukerjee, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program in Syria, expressed pride in the project, describing it as a "promising achievement in the path of Syrian social and economic recovery, and a catalyst for empowering youth."
Dr. Abdullah Aldardari, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, viewed "Dejat" as "a nucleus for similar centers in the region, and a fundamental component in the path of artificial intelligence in the Arab world," reaffirming the United Nations' support for the Syrian government and its partners in this field.
Akihiro Tsuji, Acting Ambassador of Japan in Syria, expressed his country's happiness in supporting the project, stating: "Empowering youth is the cornerstone for building Syria's future," highlighting Japan's commitment to supporting Syrians in enhancing their capabilities to face the challenges of the stage.
Dr. Gaith Warqouzak, Assistant Minister of Higher Education, noted that the center embodies a practical vision for developing sustainable pathways linking universities and labor market requirements, while Dr. Mohammad Osama Al-Jabban, President of Damascus University, described it as "a comprehensive model of the modern university that integrates education, research, and entrepreneurship."
The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of diplomatic missions and United Nations agencies, as well as Syrian and international officials and experts, indicating global interest in stimulating digital transformation in Syria and supporting its recovery journey.
