ANKAWA: Minister for Components Affairs visits Suraya Foundation and the Chaldean Culture Association

ANKAWA, Iraq — Aiden Maarouf, the Minister for Components Affairs in the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq visited the Suraya Foundation for Media and Culture in the majority-Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian town of Ankawa. The minister was received by the head of the Suraya Foundation Nozad Bulis al-Hakim and his deputy Habib Yusef Hanna.

During the meeting the focus was on mutual cooperation in serving the components regional constitutional rights as per Law No.5 which is concerned with protecting components rights in the Kurdish Region in Iraq. Cultural, media, national and administrative rights of the Syriacs (native Syriac: Suraye) and their entitlements in government positions were part of the discussions.

The head of the Suraya Foundation presented several demands to Mr. Maarouf, who is of the Turkmen component, within the framework of national rights of the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people, including the institutional development of the Syriac, Turkmen and Armenian languages ​​as stipulated in the 2015 draft of the regional constitution and Law No.5.

Later on the day Minister Aiden Maarouf and Nozad al-Hakim visited the headquarters of the Chaldean Culture Association in Ankawa. They met with the administrative bureau of the association and inspected the artistic area of the building where cultural and artistic activities are held.

Both parties agreed to hold various activities at the headquarters of the Chaldean Culture Association in Ankawa, to serve and enhance the cultural and social development of the components in the region.