Five million people amidst a war zone are creating a new society based on principles that are dear to the hearts of many radicals in Australia. Welcome to Posts from AANES: the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). Over the next ten weeks we have a series of interviews with members of a Civil Diplomacy Centre based in the city of Qamislo. This is an insight into how they are organising their society, how they are making decisions and how they are defending their country from aggression from some of the most powerful military empires on the planet. We’re confident you’ll find this series exceptionally interesting but, more importantly, it’s the type of news we need today in order to ensure that here in Australia we continue to act up to create that new society based on egalitarian principles.

What happens to the old things in a revolution? How do the old and the new coexist or coalesce? The institutions, social relations, the economy, infrastructure and religion? In this week's fascinating episode, our lovely guide, Heval Tekosin, takes us deeper into the world of North and East Syria (NES), where a peer-to-peer revolution is taking place. We will learn about approaches to social relations based on 'emotional intelligence' and lead by women, such as domestic violence. We will also learn something about what life was like in the region before the revolution and hear examples of AANES' philosophy in action, spread through cultivating friendship. What does it feel like to live in a society that is bottom-up, creative and heterogeneous? We hope you enjoy episode four.

Presented by Anarchist World this Week, Radical Australia and Talkback With Attitude host, Joseph Toscano.

Produced by Anarchist World this Week and Radical Australia producer, Kelly Whitworth.

Title tracks Heyran Jaro and Evare by Awaze Ciya