Syria’s new currency breaks with Assad imagery and divides opinion online Submitted by Ayah El-Khaldi on Tue, 12/30/2025 - 14:44 Many welcome absence of political figures on new banknotes, while others say they don't do justice to country's rich history Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa (left) and its central bank governor Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya hold one of the country's new banknotes in Damascus, 29 December 2025 (Bakr Alkasem/AFP) Off Syria’ s newly unveiled banknotes, stripped of portraits of deposed President Bashar al-Assad, were intended to signal a clean break with the past. Instead, their colourful, crop-themed designs have ignited a lively and polarised debate online, exposing deeper questions about identity, culture and what rebuilding should look like after years of war. The redesign was announced on Monday by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who presented the new currency as both a symbolic and practical reset. The notes, ranging from 10 to 500 Syrian pounds, feature roses, wheat, olives and oranges - agricultural products long associated with Syria, and form part of a broader monetary reform aimed at restoring confidence in a currency battered by almost 15 years of conflict. Since the war began in 2011, the Syrian pound has collapsed from around 50 to the US dollar to approximately 11,000, forcing Syrians to carry thick bundles of cash for routine, simple purchases. The reform includes redenomination, the removal of two zeros, converting every 100 old pounds into one new pound. Officials say the move does not alter real value but is designed to simplify transactions and reduce dependence on foreign currencies. Speaking at the launch ceremony in Damascus, Sharaa described the new notes as “the end of a previous, unlamented phase and the beginning of a new one that the Syrian people aspire to”. He said the design reflects a new national identity and deliberately moves away from the “veneration of individuals”. A currency trader sits by a stack of Syrian pounds at his street stall in Damascus on 14 January 2025 (Louai Beshara/AFP) Central Bank Governor Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya framed the change as part of a wider institutional strategy to rebuild trust and stabilise the economy. Online reactions, however, suggest that symbolism is unavoidable. While the absence of any political figures was warmly welcomed, critics argued that the focus on crops flattens Syria’s identity and sidelines its history. “Syria is not just a few trees and crops. It's about civilisations and history and cultures,” one user wrote in a comment on Instagram. يلي صمم العملة السورية الجديدة بدو تكسير ايدين والله ، تقول دخلوا على سوق الخضرا ويلا هي مشان الخمسة وهي مشان العشرة وهي مشان المية عملة لا تليق بحجم وفخامة وعراقة سوريا لا من قريب ولا من بعيد pic.twitter.com/dDusa0Qbz1 — MOHAMMED (@mo07o07) December 29, 2025 Translation: "Honestly, whoever designed the new Syrian currency should have their hands broken. It's like they went to a vegetable market and said: this one's for the five, this one's for the 10 and this one's for the 100. A currency that doesn't reflect the size, grandeur, and heritage of Syria, not at all." Some expressed frustration that the new notes did not feature historic architecture or cultural landmarks, such as the Umayyad Mosque or motifs drawn from Syria’s built heritage. “Not a fan of the new Syria banknotes,” one user wrote . “Even Assad put the Umayyad Mosque on his currency. Come on, guys.” The user also criticised the bright palette and nature-heavy imagery, likening it to “monopoly money” rather than a national currency. Should’ve been this instead fr pic.twitter.com/z2cPRLnqUf — Fahed (@fhdshami) December 29, 2025 One comment joked that the 10-pound note looked as if it had been designed “in the mothers group chat”, while another claimed the designer had simply wandered through a vegetable market for inspiration. A handful of users questioned whether the images had been generated by artificial intelligence. At the same time, defenders of the redesign argued that the backlash was “expected” during this transitional phase for the country. Beautiful ? - but imagine the impact if Syria’s new currency also honored their greats: leaders, poets, and giants of their history? Figures like Queen Zenobia should be front and center as symbols of Syria’s rebirth and cultural pride! pic.twitter.com/1GeYELL0BL — ??????? ???????? (@ColdBrief) December 29, 2025 One widely shared post framed the absence of personalities and monuments as a deliberate attempt to avoid reigniting old political divisions. Any historical figure or landmark, it argued, would immediately prompt disputes over representation. The agricultural imagery, by contrast, was presented as a quiet reminder of productivity, self-reliance and rebuilding an economy from within. “We are done creating dictators on paper,” the user declared. Others praised the designs for being "safe". “They’re a bit boring, but I do have to applaud them for being consciously safe,” one user wrote, while another described the notes as “quite beautiful” for emphasising national symbols over individuals. The new banknotes are expected to enter circulation on 1 January, alongside the old currency during a transition period. Landing photo: Image of new Syrian banknotes (social media) Syria after Assad Trending Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:29 Update Date Override 0