The Syrian uprising, now in its second year, has turned into an all-out war – but the Syrian people themselves continue to make their voices heard. This anthology of new work by established and emerging Syrian writers and artists features essays, short stories, poems and songs, as well as photographs, cartoons, drawings and illustrations. Ordinary villagers have joined the cultural frontline alongside urban intellectuals, artists, writers and filmmakers to create art and literature that challenge official narratives. Within these pages, Syrian creative artists document and interpret the momentous changes that have shifted their country’s frame of reality so drastically. ‘Syria Speaks’ foregrounds the wealth of engaged creative expression that has been unleashed by the war, with an admirable number of artists playing a part in the defence against tyranny.