Damascus, Syria | 2017–2021

By 2017, war had become part of everyday life in Damascus. After years of living under shelling and constant fear, we had learned how to adapt and search for moments that felt almost normal amid the destruction. We needed places where we could escape the weight of war—places to meet, laugh, dance, and, if only for a few hours, remember what it felt like to be alive.
Underground House Music was never just a series of parties. It became a temporary refuge, held only a few kilometers from active frontlines. I still remember the surreal contrast: people dancing while gunfire and shelling echoed in the distance. It seemed absurd, yet it felt completely normal. When you spend half your life in a war, you learn that life cannot wait for peace.
The project was founded by a group of musician friends who created Underground House Music, gradually transforming it into a community where dozens of young Syrians found in electronic music a way to resist fear and build a small world based on hope, connection, and belonging.
Ironically, the music itself was never what drew me there. I didn’t even like techno. At my first parties, I stuffed cotton into my ears while everyone else danced, earning puzzled looks from the crowd. Yet I kept coming back—not because of the music, but because of the people.
I saw something I had not seen in years: hope.
On the dance floor, fear seemed to disappear, even if only temporarily. I watched the organizers build each event with genuine care, making sure everyone felt welcome regardless of their social or economic background. In a country where public spaces had become synonymous with surveillance and fear, these gatherings quietly created another reality—one built on trust, freedom, and human connection.
As a photographer, I felt compelled to document this fragile world. My camera became more than a tool for recording events; it became a way to preserve these fleeting moments and share their story beyond Syria’s borders. I wanted people to see that behind the images of war and destruction were young Syrians who still believed in music, friendship, love, and the simple right to celebrate life.

Featured by: Mix Mag – Boiler Room – Scene Noise