OSM SYRIACOMMUNITY
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About the Community

OpenStreetMap Syria (OSM Syria) is a volunteer-run open mapping community built around OpenStreetMap, the free, editable map of the whole world.

Our story

The community started in December 2024, after the political change in Syria. It brings together Syrians inside the country and abroad who care about maps and open-source technology, around one goal: closing Syria’s geographic data gaps.

In 2026 we ran a series of mapathons as part of the ReMapping Syria project and the OSM Syria community-building grant, bringing GIS experts and people opening the map for the first time into one place.

There is no hierarchy and there are no titles: everyone is equal in tasks, activity, participation and organisation.

OSM Syria community members beside the community banner at the Damascus meetup, September 2026

Community milestones

  1. December 2024 The community starts
  2. June 2025 First online meeting An introduction to OpenStreetMap with a guest from the OSM Lebanon community
  3. December 2025 First in-person meetup in Damascus
  4. March – June 2026 Six online mapathons Part of the ReMapping Syria project
  5. September 2026 Douma workshop and Damascus meetup And securing the openstreetmap.sy domain
  6. October 2026 An article about the community on the HOT website

A growing community

Total member registrations in the community since April 2025.

224registrations so farup from 74 in April 2025

Data updated on 15 October 2026. No figures were recorded for August 2025 and April 2026.
Show the data as a table
MonthRegistrations
April 202574
May 2025127
June 2025128
July 2025130
September 2025134
October 2025136
November 2025138
December 2025146
January 2026167
February 2026199
March 2026201
May 2026207
June 2026214
July 2026217
August 2026218
September 2026224
October 2026 (to 15 October)224
“Projects have end dates, but communities continue. The most important thing we mapped wasn’t buildings or roads… it was trust.”
From “More than maps” on the HOT website

How we work

Fully volunteer-run

Activities and free training, powered by volunteers’ time and effort.

No hierarchy

No titles: everyone is equal in tasks and organisation.

A safe place to learn

We encourage questions, accept mistakes and celebrate learning.

Open by default

Records of our activities and meetings are public and open to everyone.

From our meetups

All photos in the community folder
Community members around the table at the third meeting in Damascus, December 2025 Community members waving at the third meeting in Damascus The workshop team on a rooftop in Douma

Join the Community

No previous experience needed — everyone is welcome.

How do I join?