About Us

Who we are

For us, Syria is more than a country. Syria is the home of our tortured humanity. Syria is the place where the fate of the twenty-first century will be carved: as a century of freedom and welfare for all humankind or as a century of oppression and war.

We are a group of men and women, based in Europe and the Middle East, who could not stand by and watch while the cradle of our civilisation is bombed into ruins. We could not look the other way when millions of Syrians were killed or had to flee their homes. We could not remain silent when the aspirations of peaceful protestors were answered with crimes against humanity. We could not remain indifferent when religious communities were driven against each other so that a few could stay in power.

We are a group of simple citizens from Syria, Europe and from a range of Arab countries who felt compelled to take action. As a genuine expression of the emerging civil society from both shores of the Mediterranean, we unite Muslims, Christians, Jews and others around a common cause: to stand up in solidarity with the Syrian people and to send a message of hope to the world. United in diversity, we are committed to the principle of spiritual solidarity that transcends borders in the search for the common good.

Relief & Reconciliation International AISBL is an independent non-profit organisation under Belgian law that is based upon the individual membership of dedicated men and women who serve as unpaid volunteers for our cause. We count today more than 550 members from around the world who are working for peace and justice in Syria and the wider region. We are following a specific methodology, combining conflict transformation with humanitarian aid under the co-deciding authority of local communities.

Please click here to learn more about our internal governance and please click here to read about our methodology and our work at the humanitarian front.

Our Board of Directors

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Cover photo: local and international volunteers with some of the kids at the R&R Peace Centre (Lebanon)

Honorary Patrons

Jerzy Buzek
Former President of the European Parliament

Isabelle Durant
Acting Secretary General of UNCTAD

Our work is controlled by an international Board of Directors, elected amongst our governing members for a term of two years. Today, our Board of Directors is composed by Muslims and Christians from both shores of the Mediterranean. We count Syrians, Lebanese, Belgians, French, Germans, Italians, Slovaks and Swiss amongst our board members and we are combining a rich expertise in the fields of conflict transformation and humanitarian aid.

Miriam Lexmann, Chairperson

As R&R International's chairperson, Miriam is the main representative of our association to the outside world. In 2019, she was elected Member of the European Parliament for her home-country Slovakia. Miriam earned a master in philosophy from Bratislava University and worked as a diplomat and as academic expert in international relations. She has been member and supporter of R&R for many years and came to Lebanon in 2018 to lecture at our Peace Centre.

Friedrich Bokern, Secretary General

Friedrich is serving as R&R International's secretary general and head of operations. He moved to Lebanon in 2012 for starting R&R and he has lived since then at our first Peace Centre in Akkar. He holds two master degrees from Sciences Po Paris and Freie Universität Berlin and has worked as researcher, lecturer and EU official. In 2008, Friedrich spent 7 months in Syria for learning Arabic and conducting field research. He fell in love with the people and with the country. It was a call of duty for him to return and help.

Mohamad Ghiye, Treasurer

Mohamad is Lebanese-American, originally from Akkar, who returned to his native country after more than 30 years in New York and Qatar. He joined our team as local teacher and became later educational manager at the Peace Centre. As treasurer of R&R International, Mohamad is keeping an eye on our accounting. He holds a bachelor degree in engineering from the New York City College of Technology. But besides all that math, he is an accomplished jazz musician on multiple instruments.

Axelle Brémont, Director

Axelle earned a PhD in archaeology and works as scientific member of IFAO in Cairo. Having volunteered with us in the past, she is serving today as R&R director for education & child protection.

François Crabbé, Director

As doctor of public health, François worked for many years in development projects around the world. Having returned to Brussels, he was elected as R&R director for monitoring & evaluation.

Livia Perosino, Director

Livia earned a master in political science and works today as researcher and PhD candidate at IFPO in Amman. After her stay at the Peace Centre, she is now serving as director for volunteer relations.

Susanne Schmelter, Director

After many years in Lebanon, Susanne earned a PhD in anthropology, focussing on humanitarian reform in response to the Syrian crisis. She is based in Geneva and is serving as R&R's director for research.

*Dilek Gürsel, Director***

Following her master degree at Sciences Po Paris, Dilek has worked for several years in response to the crisis in Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon. On the R&R board, she serves as director for advocacy.

Lea Farida Studer, Director

After her bachelor in Geneva, Lea is now preparing a master thesis at the American University of Cairo. She volunteered with R&R and joined the board as director for membership relations.

Mustapha Yamout, Director

Zico, as he is known in Lebanon and far beyond, opened the first cultural centre in Beirut after the Civil War; "Zico House" is still running today. On the R&R board, he serves as director for human resources.

Talal Al-Mohbani, Director

Originally from Homs, Talal is a registered refugee in Lebanon. He holds two degrees in Islamic law and education and is running our informal camp school. He also serves as director for communication.

Our team in Lebanon

Headed by our founder and secretary general, Friedrich Bokern, the team at the R&R Peace Centre in the North of Lebanon is composed by a few permanent staff members and many volunteers from Lebanon, Syria and around the world. Most of our staff members are working as teachers for Syrian and Lebanese children in need.

Our international volunteers present at the Peace Centre are joining forces with them for serving the youth of all communities present. Please apply here if you want to become a volunteer at our Peace Centre!