Below is a press release published by the Assyrian Universal Alliance

Preparations are under way in Sydney - Australia for the upcoming celebration of Assyria day. This event will be held on Sunday 1st July 2012 at 5:00pm at “Edessa Reception” located at 5-9 Greenfield Road, Greenfield Park.

The main speaker will be Miss Ninva Yakou, an Assyrian Youth who obtained a Bachelor of Arts with Honours Archaeology, from the University of Sydney, and Master of Teaching, Secondary, University of Western Sydney.

The Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) designated the Assyria Day at its 27th World Congress held during 2nd - 4th December 2010 in Erbil, Iraq, and therefore requests all Assyrians throughout the world to observe this day as a symbol of our national revival day, “Return to Assyria.”

According to Mr. Hermiz Shahen (Deputy Secretary General of the Assyrian Universal Alliance; this event aims at sending a message regarding the rights of the Assyrians to safely return to their homeland, to affirm their rights to exist in harmony, peace & security with their neighbors by exercising the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all other international conventions and treaties which emphasize refugee’s right of return. It also supports the demands of the Assyrians in their pursuit of an autonomous federal province or state.

The Assyria Region is crucial for the survival of the Assyrians of Iraq, and will allow for a greater local Assyrian control within the context of an integrated and sovereign Iraqi state.  Such a region will allow for increased peace, stability and balance throughout the whole region Mr. Shahen said.

This is the second year that Assyrians are celebrating Assyria Day. Like last year the program will be organized by Young Assyrians of the AUA– Australian Chapter who are preparing their second national conference the same day. The Youth conference will start on Sunday morning 1st July and the Assyria Day celebration will follow at 5:00pm at Edessa Reception.