When the group of Syrian women shouted, at the tops of their lungs, in the Hamidiya Market in Damascus “stop the killing,” their voices were ignored. The illusions of a military victory was fueling the desire of everyone to defeat and eliminate their opponents. However, the war that left no stone unturned in Syria and made it unrecognizable has paid dearly for this; now, many are calling to stop the killing and to put an end to the destruction.

In Douma, one of the largest towns in Eastern Ghouta in the outskirts of Damascus, a group of doctors and activists have emerged to say, loudly: “stop the killing!” In the middle of Salamiyah, a town in Hama, activists turned a marathon into a cry for peace.

According to the “Friends of Salamiyah” association, a group that aims to promote sustainable development environmental awareness, hundreds of residents in Salamiyah joined in the marathon on the International Day for Peace (September 21, 2015), representing a complete cross-section of the town.

Many other organizations and civil society groups in the town had been invited to participate in the marathon and put on their own events during the marathon. The message of the marathon, that of peace, was shared by everyone who came out: men, women, children, and the elderly, all of whom participated with each other respectfully, and of course, peacefully.