

Startup Weekend Damascus - TamerShlash
http://damascus.startupweekend.org/

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brianbreslin
I think this is incredible. Kudos to @tamershlash for organizing this. I hope
we see a number of innovations coming out of this weekend, and actual
products. I would love it if you could post a followup after the event or
during so we can stay up to date on this.

Is there any way those of us in the United States can help you guys with this?

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TamerShlash
Thanks for your appreciation brianbreslin, we manage to help our community
spark its innovation as well.

Surely I'll tell you if any help is needed from people in the U.S, thanks in
advance for your willing to help.

Stay tuned for followup posts we'll post during and after the event :)

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minimaximus
Winning entry: an app to detect if the next checkpoint is manned by the Army,
the Free Syrian Army, or foreign jihadists so you don't say the wrong thing
and get disappeared.

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mortyseinfeld
Hah, "get disappeared"

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dkuntz2
It's a real term...

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mortyseinfeld
Oh I understand the term, it still sounded funny.

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maximgsaini
Progress should continue despite the negative events around you!! With
technology you have the potential to not just help your country, but also
change the world. Keep working hard man and inspire the world. I wait for the
day when I see Syria making headlines for the work of its entrepreneurs.

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DanI-S
Hey there - I'm a software engineer and web developer based in California. I
write web apps and infrastructure for a living, and I teach basic web
programming concepts at a local hacker space.

It's really inspiring to see this happening. I'd be more than happy to donate
my time over the weekend of Feb 22nd-23rd, as a remote engineer, for any/all
of the teams taking part in this event. Drop me an email at dan@situnayake.com
if you think I could be useful!

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TamerShlash
Thanks very much DanI-S, I'll mostly ask you for help when the time comes,
lots of thanks :) (And BTW we have a Hackerspace in Damascus as well
[https://www.facebook.com/WikilogiaHackerspace](https://www.facebook.com/WikilogiaHackerspace),
it belongs to Wikilogia - the community partner of SWDamascus, and I teach web
programming there as well :D ).

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DanI-S
Very cool, looking forward to hearing from you!

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amasad
Hey TamerShlash, I'm a hacker from Jordan but now based in New York. I'll be
more than happy to help with your event in any way I can. Let me know
amjad.masad@gmail.com

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TamerShlash
Thansk very much Amjad, it's still a bit early (the event will occur after two
months). I'll contact you once he need your help, big appreciates :)

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bsaul
Is this a joke ? Isn't there supposed to be a full all out war happening right
now in that city ?

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TamerShlash
There is a war happening all over the country, but the event WILL take place
with any circumstance, nothing will stop us from making it happen.

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corford
I've tried and failed to come up with a single explanation for why this might
be a good idea (from a security point of view and also from a "is this really
the best thing you can do with your time if you're going to be in Damascus"
point of view).

So, what's the rationale (I'd genuinely like to know as I assume it's being
organised with good intentions)?

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TamerShlash
As for the "is this really the best thing you can do with your time if you're
going to be in Damascus" point of view, it's missing the essential part of the
thing; we are ALREADY in Damascus now, I'm (one of the organizers) writing
this comment from the heart of Damascus, all the organizers are living in
Damascus, and all the attendees will be from Damascus as well. If we don't
found useful startups, what else could we be doing to help our country and
people survive?

As for the security point of view, you are right; people die everyday not only
in Damascus, but all over Syria, should that mean we have to keep at home?
People die while at home, in job, or in any situation; the best thing you can
do is to take whatever chances you have to help rebuild your country and bring
ease to your people.

According to a UN survey, more than 500,000 jobs will be needed in Syria by
2015. We have absolutely NO hope in having these jobs unless we found local
entrepreneurship culture and successful startups - it is a good idea to start
that by a SW event, isn't it? :)

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bsaul
Well, it seemed to me as if you were hoping for people to come to damascus for
the event. But since everyone is already there, it seems like a great way to
forget the war for a few hours and think about something positiv. Great idea,
i wish you and your friends all the best.

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david_ring
Syria is a country full of talented youth especially in the IT field. Most of
them are expats living in the UK or here in the US. I hope that this talented
youth could progress despite the chaotic context Syria is facing it now.

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beshrkayali
Hey Tamer, Great work! I'm a Syrian developer based in Sweden. Hit me up if I
can help in any way :) %username%@gmail.com

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TamerShlash
Thanks Beshr, we'll surely do if we need any help, lots of appreciations :)

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hajderr
Respect!

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mortyseinfeld
This might sound like a weird question that I don't expect to be answered, but
I was wondering "what side" these guys are on? I'm not making a judgement for
one side or the other, because I think there are bad actors on at least two of
the sides.

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iraq
Based on the choice of venue, and the fact that it's been posted openly on the
internet, I think the best assessment one can estimate is "superficially
loyalist; respectfully apolitical."

The location:

[https://maps.google.com/maps?q=33.4918,36.236713](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=33.4918,36.236713)

Note the proximity to the presidential palace:

[https://maps.google.com/maps?q=33.518374,36.252866](https://maps.google.com/maps?q=33.518374,36.252866)

