Federation of Syriac Associations in Turkey delivers lecture on Syriac history and heritage

MIDYAT, Turkey — This week, the Federation of Syriac Associations in Turkey (Süryani Dernekler Federasyonu, SÜDEF) organized a lecture on the Syriac civilization and heritage.

The lecture was delivered by Syriac academic Abdul Masih al-Saadi at the SÜDEF headquarters in Midyat in Tur Abdin, a historically Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) region in southeast Turkey.

SÜDEF President Evgil Türker welcomed the lecturer and spoke about the need for the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people to know their history and civilization.

Al-Saadi teaches Syriac language and heritage at the University of Texas. His lecture covered the Syriac people’s interest and knowledge about their historical heritage, in addition to the role of women in Syriac civilization.

The lecture shed light on Mor Ephrem and his role in Christianity and the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) nation. Al-Saadi also spoke about the public and historical heritage of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people, which helped to develop early civilization and science.

Al-Saadi expected that the glory of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people would prove itself within Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia) and the Middle East, as happened in the past.

After the lecture, the floor was opened for questions and discussion.