Zalka Kindergarten in Zalin in North and East Syria holds St. Barbara’s Day celebration for Syriac, Arab, and Kurdish children

ZALIN, Syria — To mark St. Barbara’s Day, during which it was customary to hold masquerade parties, various Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) institutions held events for children in North and East Syria. In Zalin (Qamishli), Zalka Kindergarten 2 in the Bashiriya neighborhood held a celebration for children from all backgrounds to celebrate the occasion.

In an interview with SuroyoFM, director of the kindergarten Mayka Gouriya said that the celebration was held for the kindergarten’s 37 children — Syriac, Arab, and Kurdish — whose ages range from three to five and a half years.

Gouriya stated that the kindergarten staff prepared traditional foods and sweets related to the holiday for the children, who wore different costumes.

Gouriya added that during the celebration, gifts and food were presented to the children, and noted the attendance and participation of a number of children’s families, in addition to a number of members of Women’s Home of the Syriac Women’s Union, who expressed their gratitude and thanks to the kindergarten staff.