Suryoye

Suryoye

We are the heirs of ancient civilizations from ancient Mesopotamia and Syria.

Our region of origin is considered the cradle of civilization. Our early ancestors produced achievements that are recognized as milestones in human history—tangible expressions of a culture that gave humanity writing, the wheel, the first law codes, and the myths that shaped the world’s great religions. We have carried the Aramaic language from antiquity into the modern age. Its most famous speaker is Jesus of Nazareth.

We played a pioneering role in the spread of Christianity: we were among the first to peacefully bring Christianity to the world – we founded the first Christian community and proclaimed the Gospel as far afield as Africa, India, and China.

Throughout history, we have also experienced setbacks, losses, and catastrophes. In the 20th century, these developments reached their peak with the almost complete annihilation of our people—especially the genocide of 1915, which we know as Sayfo, “the year of the sword,” fundamentally changed our community.

Our decimated community was uprooted from its millennia-old homeland, and the diaspora began. For more than 100 years, decade after decade, further expulsions, most recently from Iraq and Syria, have increased the size of the diaspora and diminished its significance in its homeland.

But we have refused to give up. Although we and our language are threatened with extinction, we continue to live on. Scattered across all continents of the world, our communities thrive and our traditions resist the pressure of assimilation.

Preserving this ancient history and passing on our culture and language to the present and also to the future therefore remains not only a moral duty—it is an act of preserving the heritage of all humanity.