Aug 18, 2011

Assyria: Youth Seminar Series A Success


An Assyria Youth seminar series has successfully come to a close following three separate events focusing upon increasing awareness of the cultural and historical legacies of the Assyrian people, and the systematic human rights violations suffered today and in recent history.

Below is a press release issued by the Assyrian Universal Alliance:

For the second time in one month, the newly established Young Assyrians, a subsidiary of the Assyrian Universal Alliance-Australian Chapter, managed to successfully officiate a major youth function. Mr. Shahen the Regional Secretary of the Assyrian Universal Alliance in Australia and New Zealand explained that the first youth conference was held on 3rd July 2011 marking Assyria Day.

The conference addressed a number of issues including the problems facing Assyrian youth in the homeland and in Diaspora. Also discussed was the challenge of creating a sustainable and duplicable platform for the next generation to get involved in matters pertaining to the future of the Assyrian Nation. Additionally, the need to develop a strategy to create awareness of Assyrian history and culture among our young generation were discussed, and finally a method to build durable and lasting communication between our youth in Diaspora and the homeland “Assyria”.

On the 11th of August 2011, The Young Assyrians organised a seminar in respect to the Assyrian genocide. The keynote and guest speaker was the Assyrian scholar, Dr Anahit Khosroeva, an Assyrian born in Armenia. Dr Khosroeva is member of the prestigious International Association of Genocide Scholars and was cordially invited by the AUA to speak at genocide conferences in Sydney and Melbourne. Mr. Shahen said that the audiences were inspired by the great presentation made by Dr. Anahit at the Parliament House of New South Wales on Friday 5th August 2011, along with her address at the local genocide seminar held in Fairfield organised by The Young Assyrians and as well as her address in Melbourne convened at Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre which was put together by Australian Assyrian Arts and Literature Foundation. “She touched the hearts and minds of all attendees with her eloquent and impassioned presentation” said Mr Shahen. Dr Khosroeva presented expansive evidence and proofs that the criminal act of genocide perpetrated against the Assyrian nation by the Young Turks was committed with the intention of exterminating and expunging the Christian nations living in the Ottoman Empire comprising of the Assyrians, Armenians and the Greeks. All the seminars were a great success, notably the seminar organised by The Young Assyrians on the 11th gathered a large number of Assyrian youth of whom a large portion indicated a desire to participate in future events and expressed interest in serving the Assyrian cause.

Truly, the time has come for the next generation of Assyrians to continue in the struggle for national rights and to work to achieve the aspirations of our people. Mr. Shahen congratulated the AUA- Australian Chapter for establishing The Young Assyrians and asked all our institutions to provide the necessary support and guidance for them.

 

To view the AUA Press Release in full click here

 

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