ESU to hold seminar in Hengelo, Netherlands, discussing centenary of Lausanne Treaty and its impact on Syriac unity

HENGELO, Netherlands — The European Union Syriac (ESU) is set to host a seminar on 11 February in Hengelo, Netherlands, delving into the centenary of the Lausanne Treaty and its role in the historical division of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people and their ancestral homeland of Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia).

Previously, on 27 October 2023, the ESU convened a conference that saw the participation of intellectuals, politicians, and journalists. During his address at the conference, ESU Co-Chair Fehmi Vergili highlighted the brutal massacres and genocides perpetrated against the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people. He specifically focused on the Lausanne Treaty, emphasizing its impact on curtailing the aspirations of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people.

Vergili pointed out the lack of representation and voice for the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people in the negotiations surrounding the treaty. Despite their presence within the convention on behalf of Christians, they were granted only limited rights.

Professor Cengiz Aktar, Professor Hannibal Travis, Activist Daoud Yaqoub, and Samuel Swares took the stage during the conference, providing insights into the Lausanne project and its enduring consequences on the will and existence of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people up to the present day.