Google Cloud Speech-to-Text API (Chirp) + Gemini 2.5 Flash Non-Thinking. Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:00to strengthen the sovereignty of their countries into and confine weapons to their a series
00:00:03national institutions, which ends of solutions? If I achieve them and reassemble them, I will have solved the big problem. Therefore, the first step in addressing any big problem is to divide and break it down into smaller problems so that you can solve them. This is where engineering literally works. Indeed, sir. I agree with you. I am not an engineer, but I agree with you, because even in psychology, if you apply it, the principle is the same. I have a pile of problems. Instead of falling into depression or despair, why not break these problems down into small components and solve them based on priority? Then reassemble them. Yes, you reassemble them. Look at the scene around us. We have a number of cameras, lights, and wires in this place. They didn't just appear like that. The team has a method for laying the wires first, then connecting the electricity, and then the lights. All these things are related to the importance of focusing on this point. Focusing on this point is important because we live in Syria with a complex and complicated problem. The last line, there's nothing. He's left us with a tangled skein of yarn, poured water on it, then poured other chemicals on it, ran wires through it. Then he threw it in a bucket of trash, then took it out, dried it, and made something. Then he tells you, "Come and untangle this skein of yarn into usable threads." This requires work and patience. It's a very complicated matter, literally and in all fields. Therefore, the work methodology, critical thinking, and applying correct and effective management tools. All of this is important in working to dismantle our problems for which we hope to find solutions, God willing. You left Damascus for America when you were young. You went to university, studied mathematics, and then computer engineering, excelling in it, God willing. You had an active career in America. But why did young Ghassan at that time, with all due respect, decide not to return to Syria? There was no direct pressure on you personally. Why did you make that decision? Well, regarding the decision not to return initially, and the decision to return later, the decision not to return... I won't sell you patriotism or give you theories. It was just being busy with life. I left in '83, and by '96, I had finished my master's in business administration. So it was a continuous journey. I got married early. I left in '83, got married in '84. My wife is with me here, waiting for me after this meeting. Greetings to her. any destabilization or
00:00:06disturbance of stability in the region. The completion of these
00:00:10paths in the sister capitals ensures their sustainable
00:00:13internal stability and, along with the Syrian achievement,
00:00:16forms an integrated regional safety net
00:00:19and Israel must that protects our region and drives it towards development
00:00:22and prosperity. Within this comprehensive vision
00:00:26for security, our efforts to consolidate calm are accompanied
00:00:30by resolute diplomatic action to stop
00:00:33repeated Israeli attacks in our Syrian south.
00:00:36We are working steadily to establish stability there
00:00:40and we affirm our condemnation and denunciation of any attack
00:00:43that affects our land and sovereignty, and we emphasize
00:00:46that any aggression will negatively affect the security
00:00:48and stability of the entire region. Therefore, we
00:00:51renew our call to return
00:00:53my grades to the 1974
00:00:56That's right. agreement and withdraw to the lines before December 8, 2000.
00:01:01We call on the sisterly and friendly countries and the international community to bear
00:01:05their responsibilities by enforcing international law and preserving
00:01:09My elementary stability in Syria and the region. This
00:01:12security stability paves
00:01:15by our brothers in the way steadily for the transit and regional connectivity file,
00:01:18brothers and as we discussed today accelerating
00:01:20They are few. the activation of the Four Seas Committee. with this Geography and history
00:01:23Jawlah Al-Hashemi dictate that Syria be the shortest
00:01:25and most viable link
00:01:28lot of in global trade maps. We are confidently
00:01:30pushing towards the completion of the strategic railway link project in partnership
00:01:34between Syria, Turkey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
00:01:38private school was and Jordan. Syria's role in this path
00:01:44it. Current standards of a merchant, and we represents a geographical and economic bridge that effectively translates and enhances its
00:01:49was the most prominent role as an active diplomatic bridge in the region. We will build on this positive
00:01:52model to activate joint technical committees
00:01:55and manage our water resources in a way that
00:01:58serves the interests of both peoples. Amidst our joint
00:02:02the next development efforts, sensitive regional developments impose themselves,
00:02:06specifically the repercussions of the current war and confrontations
00:02:09between the United States and Iran. Syria's
00:02:12stance stems from active diplomacy to protect our national
00:02:17was in his fifties interests and spare
00:02:18ISIS threats in the region the horrors of slipping into an open conflict. From this principled
00:02:22standpoint, we express our strong condemnation of any
00:02:25strikes or attacks targeting the sisterly Arab Gulf states.
00:02:28Neutralizing Gulf security from this confrontation is an urgent
00:02:32could a person necessity, and the stability of these sisterly states is an integral
00:02:36part of the regional security
00:02:38system.
00:02:41We also call on the countries of the region to enhance security, military, and political coordination
00:02:45to protect the interests of all and control
00:02:47borders, as Syria suffers from destabilization
00:02:51and threats to its borders from armed militias
00:02:54that use neighboring borders and carry
00:02:58weapons outside the state framework. The Syrian Arab Republic
00:03:01and its security
00:03:03this information and military institutions are working to confront these threats
00:03:06with full resolve to preserve our national security interests
00:03:09to describe and protect the safety of I had an opportunity our people. Therefore, we will
00:03:13work to intensify human and technical capabilities along
00:03:20of thinking that I began a all our borders and in coordination with our neighbors to confront these threats. Our discussions touched upon the return
00:03:24of Syrians to their homeland
00:03:25Exactly. Therefore, as a top national priority for Damascus. We
00:03:28consider the returnees
00:03:31Exactly. to be the fundamental building block, and we realize that
00:03:35the sustainability of this return requires preparing the developmental
00:03:40into our ground and necessary infrastructure such as services, electricity,
00:03:42schools, and health. Therefore, we are establishing a practical path
00:03:46with the Turkish side to link return projects with early
00:03:50recovery programs directly and effectively. I would like
00:03:54to emphasize in the end that our common borders, which are the longest
00:03:57between us, will remain a path for trade, prosperity, and mutual
00:04:03not just
00:04:31security. So, dear viewers, we followed
00:04:35the joint press conference between Syrian Foreign Minister
00:04:40can say Asaad al-Sheibani and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. Among
00:04:44the most prominent points in this press conference was
00:04:47Minister Fidan's
00:04:50who was also emphasis that the integration phase in Syria must end quickly
00:04:54without obstruction. He also confirmed, "We are working
00:04:57to develop and facilitate
00:04:59Honestly, where do economic relations between Syria and Turkey
00:05:02and increase
00:05:06When I started to America, specializing the number of crossings between the two countries." He added, "We are also working to establish a joint
00:05:11and Fiqh. Scholars, Syrian-Turkish university within Syrian
00:05:13territories." He affirmed that Syria is a country
00:05:17that contributes to making peace in the region,
00:05:20and its security and stability are a necessity.
00:05:23Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also
00:05:27emphasized that the unity of Syrian territories must be protected
00:05:31be pressured in this regard. He stated
00:05:35that Turkey seeks to raise the level of relations
00:05:39with Syria through new projects in various
00:05:43sectors. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan added
00:05:46that the Israeli government is working to destroy
00:05:50peace and make Gaza without Palestinians.
00:05:52And during the speech of Minister
00:05:56Asaad al-Sheibani, the Syrian Foreign Minister, the
00:05:59Minister said that Damascus and Ankara
00:06:02realize that combating terrorism is a cornerstone
00:06:06for partnership between the two countries. Al-Sheibani added
00:06:10that a united Syria forms the optimal wall
00:06:13to protect common borders, and we coordinate our
00:06:17steps with Ankara in response to our common
00:06:19interests. Minister al-Sheibani added, "We agreed
00:06:23to support the efforts and steps led
00:06:27Iraq and Lebanon to strengthen the sovereignty
00:06:30of their countries and confine weapons within
00:06:34their official institutions." Al-Sheibani affirmed, "We
00:06:37express our condemnation of any attacks
00:06:40targeting the Gulf states, as the stability
00:06:44of the Gulf states is a fundamental pillar of the regional
00:06:47security system." Al-Sheibani added
00:06:50that our common borders with Turkey
00:06:53will remain a path for trade, prosperity,
00:06:56and mutual security. So, dear viewers, this
00:07:01news from the joint press conference between Syrian
00:07:05Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani and his
00:07:08Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. And now to
00:07:11the headlines of our 12:00
00:07:16newscast. President Ahmed al-Shara announces
00:07:19major development projects for the Eastern region during the opening
00:07:23of Deir
00:07:23ez-Zor Airport.
00:07:27The Security Council discusses
00:07:30Iraq and Syria. The United Nations warns
00:07:34against the organization exploiting security
00:07:37changes.
00:07:42Syria's Permanent Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition
00:07:45of Chemical Weapons, Muhammad Kattoub, affirms the continued pursuit
00:07:49of justice, coinciding with the anniversary of the defunct
00:07:53regime's chemical massacre
00:07:54in Douma.
00:08:00The Syrian General Establishment for Grains confirms that
00:08:03the quantities of wheat received exceeded Syria's
00:08:05needs, and the Ministry of Agriculture announces the recovery
00:08:08of the livestock sector.
00:08:18We have reached the end of this bulletin, dear viewers.
00:08:21Thank you for your kind
00:09:14Heitto, welcome to Al-Hikaya Al-Souria Podcast.
00:09:17Welcome, Professor Muhammad. Welcome. 42 years away
00:09:21from Syria, away from Damascus specifically. Son of Damascus, of course,
00:09:25son of Rukneddine, and you returned immediately after liberation.
00:09:28That's right. Very quickly. This is by the grace of Allah Almighty
00:09:32upon us. It was with great longing.
00:09:36It was a dream that came true, one of the most beautiful
00:09:39moments of life. To wish for
00:09:42something, and your thoughts
00:09:46and your concerns reach
00:09:50you that what you are thinking
00:09:53of has become a dream.
00:09:56It may come true, but Allah has been
00:10:00very generous to us in
00:10:03giving us this opportunity to return
00:10:07to our country. Praise be to Allah. Praise be to Allah.
00:10:10You left Damascus in 19
00:10:16in mathematics and technology. Correct.
00:10:18You have a well-known professional activity.
00:10:22When the Syrian revolution started, you also quickly
00:10:26engaged in revolutionary activity. In
00:10:282013, you were tasked with forming the first interim government
00:10:32in Syria, but you resigned after a short
00:10:36period. You are considered a witness to an important
00:10:40period related to the opposition's political activity against
00:10:42the defunct Assad regime. And then in 2013,
00:10:46in the same year you resigned, you established the Syrian Forum
00:10:49Center, from which several social, relief,
00:10:52and similar
00:10:55activities and intellectual activities
00:10:58emerged. After liberation, you returned quickly to Syria. This
00:11:02is a brief introduction, but we want to hear
00:11:05from you now about the story from the beginning,
00:11:09about the environment you were born in, your upbringing,
00:11:12your education before immigrating to America.
00:11:15I am a son of Damascus, from a Damascene family.
00:11:19We are of Kurdish origin. I was born in the Rukneddine neighborhood
00:11:23and then my father and mother moved
00:11:26to the Mezzeh area.
00:11:30My mother, may Allah have mercy
00:11:34on her, was illiterate.
00:11:38But she raised five
00:11:43sisters, we are five brothers
00:11:46and three sisters, and all of us
00:11:50are educated, by the grace of Allah.
00:11:52My father's education stopped at the fourth grade,
00:11:55but he ran a sock
00:11:58factory in Damascus. Amazing, yes. This is the son
00:12:02of a merchant. We are, indeed, the children
00:12:07are proud of this history. My father,
00:12:10may Allah have mercy
00:12:14on him, was a self-made
00:12:15man in every
00:12:18sense of the word. If there is anything I am
00:12:21proud of, it is being the son
00:12:25of a family that was poor and achieved
00:12:29something great. My father passed away
00:12:33when I was young, when I was eight
00:12:36years old.
00:12:39I think he
00:12:42at the time. But when
00:12:45you look back at what he accomplished
00:12:49in this short life,
00:12:51you truly have to take your hat off to him.
00:12:55How
00:12:57with such limited education achieve
00:12:59so much in
00:13:03a short period? A commercial store in the heart
00:13:06of Damascus, several
00:13:07factories...
00:13:11Praise be to God. He literally started from scratch.
00:13:15And I think, as my mother, may God have
00:13:18mercy on her, told me, they were
00:13:21probably below zero for a period of their
00:13:25lives. May God have mercy on them all. We ask
00:13:28God to accept them and bless them.
00:13:31There are no words
00:13:34the kindness they bestowed upon us and
00:13:38how they raised us when we were young.
00:13:41And my mother
00:13:42struggled with us.
00:13:45May God bless your father, you were eight
00:13:48years old. I saw you were very emotional
00:13:52when talking about your father, even though
00:13:55you only lived with him for a few
00:13:59years, a period when a child can remember
00:14:03his father. But it's clear there was an admiration
00:14:07for my father's personality.
00:14:10I see it in the words
00:14:14of my older siblings,
00:14:17may Allah have mercy on him. I see it in
00:14:20the words of his friends
00:14:23and companions. Even my older brother
00:14:27once described him to me, saying
00:14:30that our father's sustenance was pure.
00:14:34And my older brother,
00:14:36may Allah protect him, lived closely
00:14:40with my father and knew him
00:14:44well. So I
00:14:46didn't live
00:14:48with my father, but I admire
00:14:51his personality,
00:14:54and I always
00:14:58wonder how he endured
00:15:01and overcame these difficulties in
00:15:04life, and how he managed
00:15:08to achieve what he
00:15:12was able to achieve in a short period
00:15:15and build this credibility
00:15:19in his community and in the market.
00:15:24you find this today? This
00:15:27is a source of admiration, and he
00:15:30was a school in himself. May
00:15:33Allah have mercy on him. We,
00:15:37as his children, are proud of him,
00:15:41but we have a deterrent to protect
00:15:44his reputation. We still live in his
00:15:48shadow, by the grace of Allah Almighty.
00:15:51He honored us
00:15:53by having
00:15:56my father, Al-Khalil, may Allah have
00:15:59mercy on him, and my mother,
00:16:03Mrs. Suad, Umm Shaker, may Allah have mercy
00:16:07on them. You mentioned that your mother
00:16:10did not pursue formal education, and
00:16:14your father dropped out of school
00:16:16at an early age. Yet, they raised
00:16:19eight educated children, each with
00:16:23their degrees. How did Professor Ghassan
00:16:26develop? Were you more inclined towards mathematics
00:16:29early on, or why did you choose
00:16:33mathematics later? You've brought up
00:16:35a topic that
00:16:39might open doors for discussion.
00:16:42I studied in public schools in Damascus.
00:16:46school was Mustafa Sadeq Al-Rifa'i in Mezzeh,
00:16:50and my middle
00:16:53and high school was between Azz
00:16:56Eddin Al-Tanukhi in Mezzeh and
00:17:00in the Tajhiz area. I completed
00:17:04my baccalaureate in Sa'ada High School, like
00:17:08many Syrians.
00:17:11These were public schools. The only
00:17:16there, but we weren't really interested in
00:17:22at home, interest in education
00:17:24is very important, as is interest
00:17:28in work. We were raised at
00:17:32home that school time is for school,
00:17:35and free time is for going
00:17:39to work in my father's business.
00:17:42We would go to the shop
00:17:45or to the factory or one of the
00:17:48factories. This was our life. This
00:17:52gave us an opportunity, frankly,
00:17:56that might have seemed difficult at the time,
00:17:59and might have seemed harsh.
00:18:02Yes, but frankly, it gave us
00:18:06an opportunity that not many
00:18:09get: to learn from life at
00:18:13an early age. That's how we
00:18:15grew up. But
00:18:17in the 1980s,
00:18:21the situation was bad politically,
00:18:23with restrictions on people.
00:18:26My brother, Ayman, a civil engineering
00:18:30student, was arrested and imprisoned for
00:18:3315 years in Tadmur.
00:18:37Previously,
00:18:39my older brother had traveled, and
00:18:44to go to America at that
00:18:47time. I received an acceptance, and
00:18:50so
00:18:54new path.
00:18:55Your question
00:18:59about mathematics is intriguing.
00:19:02You choose where to place it
00:19:05in this conversation.
00:19:09Here, I want to pay a great tribute to
00:19:12every male and female teacher, so
00:19:16that my words are not misunderstood.
00:19:19When I graduated from the scientific
00:19:23baccalaureate, and this certificate will
00:19:27be published, I was weak in
00:19:30mathematics. We're talking about graduating
00:19:33from high school weak in math,
00:19:36but I'm getting to that point.
00:19:40It's very important. I was weak in
00:19:43math. I went to America
00:19:46convinced that I could achieve
00:19:50more and I had opportunities
00:19:53to study. So we arrived in
00:19:57America, and we shouldn't waste
00:19:59time. We should
00:20:02study. We Syrians, when we go
00:20:06abroad, either study engineering or
00:20:09medicine. These are the
00:20:13choices that we
00:20:17we were programmed
00:20:20for. Especially at that time,
00:20:24it was either engineering or
00:20:27medicine, otherwise, you had a problem
00:20:30with your programming.
00:20:33Of course, I say this jokingly, but there is
00:20:38some truth to it.
00:20:44studying in America, I found that
00:20:47I could not continue even
00:20:50in engineering without mathematics.
00:20:54So I took this subject
00:20:57and said to myself, "It's
00:20:59shameful if I don't master
00:21:02it." It's
00:21:03unthinkable that
00:21:06we would go through all
00:21:09this and not master the subject.
00:21:13By the grace of Allah, in
00:21:16addition to my computer engineering
00:21:27degree, I have a degree
00:21:31in mathematics. The funny
00:21:34thing is that
00:21:36my grades in
00:21:39mathematics are better than
00:21:43in computer engineering. Imagine
00:21:47that.
00:21:52This is what I always remember,
00:21:56and it's a rare opportunity
00:22:00to stand before a
00:22:03seasoned, educated
00:22:06teacher.
00:22:10To cultivate a generation that
00:22:13makes a difference in the future.
00:22:15Excuse me,
00:22:18what is the difference you
00:22:22saw in America regarding mathematics?
00:22:25The teacher's style, or what
00:22:28exactly? I think it's several
00:22:31factors.
00:22:32One of them
00:22:35is the curricula themselves. The
00:22:38curricula are concerned,
00:22:41especially in mathematics,
00:22:44with solidifying the understanding
00:22:48of the material before moving on to
00:22:52stage. You know, mathematics
00:22:55is, when you understand
00:22:59its essence, it is
00:23:02what follows it. Therefore,
00:23:06the method of teaching the subject,
00:23:09I believe, plays a role.
00:23:12Being in a university with
00:23:16specialized teachers who understand
00:23:21the subject correctly and connect
00:23:24this subject to life.
00:23:27The practical application plays
00:23:30a big role in your love
00:23:34and increasing passion for this
00:23:37subject and your attachment to
00:23:40it. He teaches you the subject
00:23:44and shows you its effect
00:23:48in life, where you will use
00:23:53and this way of thinking. And
00:23:56sometimes he tells you that
00:23:59this subject is only made
00:24:03to provide you with a
00:24:06specific way
00:24:10you will need in the future.
00:24:15when people talk about
00:24:19critical thinking,
00:24:24which is very necessary to introduce
00:24:30lives, by always asking,
00:24:32"What
00:24:34if?" That "what
00:24:36if" is terrible.
00:24:40Yes, this critical thinking,
00:24:44honestly, in the teaching
00:24:47methods I witnessed, is
00:24:50present in all subjects,
00:24:53mathematics. It's in all subjects.
00:24:57Because the idea is to help
00:25:00you think
00:25:04about finding and creating
00:25:07solutions. Engineering students
00:25:10are taught that their job
00:25:14is to improve people's lives
00:25:18by innovating new solutions.
00:25:22So it's a way of
00:25:25thinking, rather than just
00:25:29a subject. It's a way
00:25:31of thinking, without a doubt.
00:25:35I had a podcast guest
00:25:40an engineer, Dr. Atef.
00:25:42Greetings to the head of
00:25:46the Publishers Union. He was insistent
00:25:49on a vision, which is applying
00:25:52engineering thinking in all intellectual
00:25:55and scientific fields, including Sharia
00:26:01he says, must think in an
00:26:05engineering way. That's right.
00:26:08How do you reach
00:26:10a point where
00:26:12you have knowledge, you
00:26:16have an idea,
00:26:18and this idea holds
00:26:22salvation? How do you now
00:26:25engineer ways to deliver
00:26:29it to the largest possible
00:26:32number of people and recipients
00:26:36of this idea? Because if you
00:26:39have an idea, you
00:26:41have a responsibility, don't you? And
00:26:45it contains salvation.
00:26:49You are responsible
00:26:50before God
00:26:54Almighty to deliver it to people.
00:26:58Our job as engineers
00:27:01is to deliver this idea to
00:27:05as many people as possible. And
00:27:09you always focus on
00:27:12the engineering aspect. Engineers
00:27:16have this quality.
00:27:19You agree
00:27:22perspective? They always say
00:27:25that it's
00:27:28not... A people call
00:27:32me an engineer.
00:27:36Honestly, I am interested
00:27:39in knowing through my methodological
00:27:43way of thinking. I
00:27:47am interested in knowing
00:27:50about the administrative
00:27:54capabilities to produce
00:27:58complex, intricate
00:28:01problem and break it down