Syrian nationalism

Syrian nationalism (Arabic: القَومِيَةُ السُورِيَّةُ, romanized: al-qawmīyah as-Sūriyyah), also known as pan-Syrian nationalism or pan-Syrianism (Arabic: الوَحْدَةُ الشَّامِيَةُ, romanized: al-waḥda ash-Shāmiyyah), refers to the nationalism of the region of Syria, as a cultural or political entity known as "Greater Syria," known in Arabic as Bilād ash-Shām (Arabic: بِلَاد الـشَّـام).

Syrian nationalism originated with the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. While most "pragmatic" Syrian nationalists advocate for Arab nationalism and view pan-Syrianism as a step toward a broader pan-Arab state, a minority of "pure" Syrian nationalists, often associated with the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, oppose this perspective. They assert that Syria should be the leading force among the Arab people and reject pan-Arabist movements that would position all Arabs on the same level.

Some Syrian opposition forces who were fighting against the Assad regime government are strong advocates of historical Syrian nationalism that hearkens back to a "Golden Age." The Free Syrian Army has incorporated symbols of nationalist insignia into their flags and military uniforms during the Syrian civil war. Syrian nationalism was historically prominent in Lebanon, where it was particularly widespread among Lebanese Sunni Muslims, who aspired to be incorporated into a Greater Syrian state.