These efforts have carved out a public realm that has long been missing in Syria, which is critical to realizing a more democratic society in the long run.

In this newly constituted public space, the Syrian people have made their public debut after years of being disregarded and oppressed by the state. This process has been one that is both intensely personal and community-oriented, and is, at its very core, about human dignity, a central demand of the protest movement.

When Syria’s revolution began and the roots of the public realm started to take hold, human connection was created between those who had once been strangers. These early events created the chance for activists and grassroots organizers to meet, speak and connect with other like-minded individuals.

For the first time in decades, people inside Syria had the space to make their opinions and perspectives known, and to take action in accordance with their civic and political objectives. Syrians took advantage of this newfound power, notwithstanding the violent response from their government.

This conception of power, which rests on a community of individuals speaking and acting together, has been reflected in the civic initiatives that continue to grow and develop nearly three years since the revolution began.

These efforts have ranged from local forms of self-government to cultural and artistic collectives, and have featured loosely organized initiatives as well as tightly run enterprises.

They include numerous local councils that have been established in various parts of the country. In liberated areas, these citizen councils act as administrative bodies, filling the gap left by the regime.

Local councils have provided humanitarian aid, such as food, shelter and medical care, as well as civic and municipal services like waste management, education and police protection. A few of the more sophisticated councils have subcommittees handling issues like finance and judicial matters.

Before the revolution, it was unheard of to see the kind of self-government represented by the citizen councils. Because of the country’s emergency law, Syrians were prohibited from gathering together in large groups, a circumstance that made organizing of any kind difficult.

Now people have freed themselves of these old restrictions and exercised their right to manage their own communities.

While the local citizen councils are far from perfectly functioning entities, they are helping to build a new type of governance structure to replace the old authoritarian Syria.

Efforts to carve out a public realm include an array of artistic initiatives as well. Formed in August 2011, the anonymous collective Masasit Mati uses film and theatrical performance to address social, political and cultural topics.

It brings together activists and artists to create an open and inclusive civil state through humor and art.

“Top Goon: Diaries of a Little Dictator,” a YouTube puppet series created by the group, addresses and educates on civil disobedience, sectarianism and social unity.

In January, members of Masasit Mati staged a street performance called “I Love Acting” during demonstrations in Aleppo. It was the group’s first live performance and experience revealing their real identities.

Many of Masasit Mati’s founders were strangers before coming together to create the collective. Most of the group’s actors and puppeteers still live inside Syria.

Meanwhile, SouriaLi, a non profit independent, Internet-based radio station, aims to help mend the social rifts created by the violent conflict.

It is dedicated to fostering an advanced level of awareness about the meaning of civil society, active citizenship, women’s empowerment and youth activism.

The station, whose name means both “Syria is mine” and “surreal,” serves as a platform for all Syrians, regardless of ideology or political opinion, to engage in open discussions on a variety of topics and to counteract extremism. It acts as a forum for Syria’s people to reflect on issues critical to reconstituting their country’s social fabric.

The station, which launched from Cairo in October 2012, features segments that discuss the various ethnic and religious groups living in the country, among other programming.

It is through these and many other kinds of civic entrepreneurship that the promise of a more democratic and inclusive Syria can be found.