Syria unveils new national emblem marking post-Assad era

DAMASCUS

Syria's interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa delivers a speech during the unveiling of the "New Visual Identity of the Syrian Arab Republic" at the presidential palace in Damascus on July 3, 2025. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)

The Syrian presidency has unveiled the country’s new national emblem during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, accompanied by nationwide celebrations in major city squares.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa described the new emblem as a reflection of “a united, indivisible Syria,” as the country transitions from decades of Baath Party rule and the Bashar al-Assad regime into a new political phase.

“The identity we launch today reflects Syria’s new historical phase,” Sharaa said during the event. “It draws inspiration from the golden eagle, symbolizing strength, determination, speed, precision and innovation.”

The golden eagle replaces the previous symbol of a hawk and is topped by three stars representing the people’s liberation, as described by the Information Ministry.

The two stars on the hawk's shield were increased to three. The two wheat ears, which symbolized agricultural character and were present in the old national emblem, were also removed.

Its five tail feathers symbolize Syria’s main geographical regions, the north, east, west, south and center, while its 14 wing feathers represent the country’s 14 provinces, each said to tell “a story of resilience over 14 years of revolution.”

The adoption of the new identity will be followed by practical changes, including replacing national ID cards and passports to align with the updated design.

In a speech that blended symbolism with political messaging, Sharaa evoked Damascus’s ancient history.

“A long time ago, a tale began in a city where the first humans are said to have lived. They multiplied, and with their growing numbers came the need to build disciplined behavior. They planted, created and built until they gave the world its first capital, Damascus."

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani also spoke at the ceremony, saying that in recent months, Syrian diplomacy has actively rejected the “deteriorated reality” inherited from the former regime.

He declared the moment “a cultural death” for the former regime’s legacy of “oppression and corruption masked by empty slogans.”

Festivities marking the launch of the new identity were held in public squares across Damascus and other major provinces.