Efforts to promote Syriac language gain traction in Iraq, discussions on curriculum development and seminars held

BAGHDAD / MOSUL, Iraq — In an ongoing endeavor to safeguard and nurture the Syriac language, members of Iraq’s Supreme National Curriculum Committee convened to explore various proposals aimed at enhancing the teaching of national languages in the country, with a particular focus on Syriac. Furthering this initiative, the Syriac Catholic Mar Thoma Church in Mosul recently hosted a seminar dedicated to the Syriac language, its historical significance, and its potential for broader dissemination.

Institutes and religious organizations dedicated to preserving the heritage and culture of the Syriac-speaking community are actively engaging in a series of activities, meetings, and celebrations. Their collective mission is to propagate and cultivate the Syriac language, ensuring its continuity and preventing its decline. These efforts are especially pertinent in light of the recent discussions conducted by the Supreme National Committee for the Syriac, Kurdish, and Turkmen curricula.

At a meeting presided over by Imad Salem Jajo, General Director of Syriac Studies, convened on Wednesday at the office of the Directorate of Syriac Studies, attendees explored several proposals designed to enrich the educational landscape by integrating Syriac into primary and middle school curricula. Additionally, committee members presented various recommendations aimed at advancing the study of national languages. These discussions built upon the outcomes of previous committee meetings, further underscoring the commitment to enhancing the teaching of Syriac and other national languages in Iraq.

In related news, the Mar Thoma Church, in collaboration with the University of Mosul, the French Cultural Institute, the Nineveh Antiquities and Heritage Inspectorate, Al-Nour University College, and the Baytuna Foundation for Culture, Arts, and Heritage, held a seminar on Thursday. The event saw the participation of government ministers, dignitaries, clergymen, university professors, and specialists in history and heritage. The seminar provided a platform to discuss linguistic rights and emphasized the pivotal role of the Syriac language as a cherished cultural identifier.