Human rights advocate and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman met on Saturday, February 25, 2025, with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and a group of prominent Syrian women leaders on the sidelines of the 61st Munich Security Conference.

Karman, a longtime advocate for democracy and human rights, extended her congratulations to Minister al-Shaibani, hailing the ousting of Bashar al-Assad as a defining moment in modern Arab history. 
The success of the Syrian revolution in removing Assad is the greatest event in contemporary Arab history, she stated in remarks shared on her official social media page. Al-Shaibani, reflecting on the milestone, reportedly responded with a succinct yet powerful statement: "We did it."
Karman participated in a discussion panel at the conference, where she criticized Western governments for their inconsistent stance on Syria. She highlighted what she called a policy of "double standards," noting that while the West had imposed sanctions on Bashar al-Assad and claimed to oppose his rule, they have not demonstrated strong support for the Syrian people's quest for freedom.
The meeting came against the backdrop of broader conversations at the Munich Conference regarding global security and democratic transitions. Karman earlier took the stage at a panel discussion, where she sharply criticized Western nations for what she described as a lack of genuine support for the new Syria.
Notably, Karman stated that the contradictions in Western policy towards Syria were clear. She pointed out that while they declared their opposition to Assad and imposed sanctions on him, there was no substantial action from Western governments to support the Syrian people as they sought their freedom.
The MSC 2025 has served as a marketplace for ideas, featuring a main program, about 200 official side events, and various public outreach activities. On the eve of the conference, Jörg Kukies, Germany's Minister of Finance, convened ministers and high representatives for the 4th No Money for Terror Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing.