Randa Kassis is a Franco-Syrian writer, politician and a leading figure
of opposition in Syria. She is the President and founder of the movement of the
pluralistic society. From a secular point
of view, she played a key role in 2010 commentating and writing about the Tunisian revolution. As the Arab
Spring gathered momentum, this inspired Kassis to return to Syrian political
life and establishing the movement of the pluralistic society in October 2012.
Kassis has become a leading commentator on the Syrian Conflict and the
wider complexities of the Arab Spring and the future of the Middle East region.
She draws on her experience as a politician, writer and academic in
demystifying the complexities attached to many Arab countries and the way
politics are run.
She speaks to media, corporations and governments about Middle East
Politics, The Future of the Region and the sensitive cultural issues attached
to the region.
She was a member of the Syrian National Council until August 2012 but
she been excluded from it due to several declarations alerting the Syrian
Opposition about the rise of Muslim fundamentalists.
Her father, a professor of psychology at the
Faculty of Damascus who took part in a Syrian opposition party, suffered
psychological pressure (by being forbidden to write articles) thus making him
flee to Algeria for 4 years, from 1979-1983. His family followed him from the
year 1981 to 1983.
When he returned to Syria, he resumed his
duties at the University of Damascus until his death in 1989.
After
receiving the baccalaureate, Randa Kassis moves to Germany in 1989, at the age
of 17, where she would stay for the next 3 years. She later moves to
Paris, where she currently lives.
From
a young age, Randa Kassis has been revolted against the Syrian society. She starts
questioning herself about politics and meanwhile, starts opposing Christianity,
her parents’ religion, which caused by the woman’s position in religion.
In
1987, she chooses to follow her father’s example by studying in psychology and
anthropology.
