December 8th. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is reported to have fled the country his family ruled for 50 years—a political earthquake that sends shockwaves across the globe.

Miles away in Europe, thousands of Syrians in the diaspora gather spontaneously to mark this historic moment. Governments react swiftly—many freezing asylum claims, while some begin drafting plans for the return of refugees.

In this two-part episode, we first hear from Alaa Same, a Syrian refugee now settled in Norway. He shares his extraordinary story of escaping Syria, finding his way to Oslo, and the moment he learned that the dictator who had ruled his country for decades was finally gone.

Then, we turn to two leading experts on migration and refugees: Marta Bivand Erdal, Research Professor at PRIO, and Pål Nesse, Senior Adviser to the Norwegian Refugee Council.

PRIO's Peace in a Pod is hosted by award-winning journalist Arnaud Siad.

Photo: Getty Images/Omer Messinger

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