the globe in syria

Youth in Damascus celebrate at a Halloween rave on Friday.

It’s Friday night and Maria Suleiman is trying to unwind. She’s seen and lived through too much in her 19 years, and just wants to dance.

Along with a few dozen other Syrian teens and young adults, she and her boyfriend put their heads down and moved their bodies to the thumping beats, trying to forget their country’s troubles as house music pounded and strobe lights swirled around them.

“Things are very complicated. We always feel up and down. Mostly we’re sad, I’m not going to lie, so we need to take our mind off of things,” said Ms. Suleiman, who was dressed as a vampire for the Halloween-themed event.

The nail technician was just five years old when Syria descended into a civil war that would kill more t

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