123 HOPE

Team and governance

Meet the people who bring the Aleppo centre to life every day.

Our team

Complementary skills, one shared commitment.

The team brings together coordination, education, music, creativity, nutrition, administration and practical skills around one goal: creating a welcoming environment where people can learn, express themselves and build connections.

Soumaya Hallak

Soumaya Hallak

Founder and Artistic Director

A dramatic soprano born in Geneva to a Syrian father from Aleppo and a Swiss mother, Soumaya connects her international artistic career with a long-term commitment to children, young people and women in Syria.

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Trained in Geneva, Venice, Brussels, Copenhagen and Lausanne, Soumaya Hallak has built an operatic career while developing projects at the crossroads of music, theatre and learning. In 2018, she was named a Woman of Peace at the Belgian Senate for 1,2,3 HOPE, LOVE, LIFE for PEACE. In 2023, she opened an arts and community centre in Aleppo. Through voice, music, movement and creativity, the centre offers spaces where children, young people and women can regain confidence, connect with others and express themselves. Her recent artistic projects include Duo Syrham, an appearance at the Bayreuth Wagner Festival in summer 2025 and the 2026 creation Les Mains Noires.

Nadia Azar

Nadia Azar

Creative and Handicraft Workshops

Nadia supports women in developing practical skills including bag sewing, upcycling, embroidery and beadwork.

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She also facilitates activities for children and young people, including drawing, colouring, singing, theatre, collaborative murals, handicrafts and psychomotor activities. She joined the centre to share skills, introduce new ideas and promote brotherhood, compassion and peace across religions, social backgrounds and cultures.

Sarig Bitar

Sarig Bitar

Administration, Reception, Logistics and Flute

With a background in civil engineering, Sarig manages reception, accounting, appointment scheduling and a significant part of the centre’s logistics.

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She is also a passionate flute teacher and brings organisation, creativity and a personal approach to her work. She values the humanitarian purpose of the centre, teamwork and the opportunity to learn, contribute and support others.

Arev Abkarian

Arev Abkarian

Nutrition Awareness and Creative Activities

A Food Engineering graduate from the University of Aleppo who is currently pursuing a master’s degree, Arev provides awareness sessions on food, balance and body appreciation.

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Passionate about drawing and handicrafts, she also works with children and young people through simple, accessible creative activities. She encourages imagination, self-expression and self-awareness while creating a calm space where participants can explore creativity and experience moments of inner peace.

Hélène de Villemeur

Hélène de Villemeur

Physiotherapist · Mézières practitioner · Body Harmony

French and based in Syria for more than four years, Hélène de Villemeur is a physiotherapist and Mézières practitioner. This approach gives her a holistic understanding of the body and its balance.

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At the centre, she leads Body Harmony, an activity for all generations combining breathing, stretching, dance and body awareness to support overall wellbeing. She shares the association’s values and is happy to help promote them by putting her skills at the service of people who need support most.

Maritta Makhdissi

Maritta Makhdissi

Educational Activities and Clown Tita

A sociology student in Aleppo, Maritta organises educational games, group activities and magic shows as the character Clown Tita.

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She wants to offer children and adults who missed essential parts of childhood a safe space where they can play, laugh, relax and reconnect with the spontaneity of being a child.

Sam Yandem

Sam Yandem

Centre Coordinator

Sam coordinates the centre’s day-to-day operations with the Project Manager and the facilitation team.

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He manages beneficiary data, registrations, partner reports, procurement, maintenance, reception, translation and administrative tasks. He also supports funding applications and partnership development. Sam holds a BSc in Mathematics from Aleppo University and a Learning Facilitator certificate from the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.

Governance and collaborations

The project is legally carried by the Belgian nonprofit 1,2,3 Hope, Love, Life for Peace. Artists and professionals also join selected activities and one-off initiatives.

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