On December 8, 2024, the Assad regime in Syria was overthrown. Rebel groups, led by the Islamist Hay'at Tahrir ash-Sham (HTS), succeeded in driving the dictator out of the country. Unlike in 2015, neither Russia nor Iran intervened. The fall of the regime has opened unexpected opportunities for Syrians, who have been ruled with an iron fist for decades, and have been forced in millions outside their countries into exile and new diasporic lives elsewhere. Among Syrians there is widespread joy and hope, but also anxieties for and about a better future in freedom and justice. Within the country and the diaspora a wave of optimism and a desire for a fresh start are palpable. What questions, concerns and visions for the future exist among Syrians within the country and in the diaspora? How will they deal with the legacies of past violence, and the presence of victims and perpetrators? What does the restoration of justice mean? And what return? What experiences from the exile can contribute to the rebuilding process, what is the new relation between diaspora and home? What challenges must be overcome in the monumental task of state-building? The interim government is expected to remain in power until March 2025, but what comes next remains uncertain. Similarly unclear is whether it will be possible to reconcile the many diverse expectations and hopes within the country.