Symposium in Hasakah, North and East Syria, highlights urgency in preserving Syriac language identity

HASAKAH, North and East Syria — In anticipation of International Mother Language Day, celebrated annually on 21 February, the Center for Syriac Strategic Studies, in collaboration with the Olaf Taw Association for Syriac Language, organized a symposium titled The Syriac Language is My Identity in Hasakah, North and East Syria. The event, held on Sunday, brought together a diverse array of Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) parties, institutions, and organizations.

Speaking to Suroyo TV, Sophia Youssef, Head of the Olaf Taw Association in Hasakah, delineated the symposium’s four focal points: evaluating the current status of the Syriac language, examining the obstacles and challenges impeding its proliferation, evaluating the role of civic institutions in fostering linguistic development, and formulating strategies for safeguarding the language’s vitality.

Youssef underscored the profound historical significance of the Syriac language, emphasizing its antiquity, renown, and influence across various domains such as science, literature, music, and poetry. She stressed the collective responsibility of community institutions and organizations in preserving the Syriac language from the perils of obsolescence, neglect, and erosion.

Meanwhile, Silva Asia, representing the Elias Hanna Heritage Charitable Foundation in Hasakah, emphasized the symposium’s significance in addressing a matter of paramount importance not only to their community but to the wider region and Syria as a whole. Asia lauded the enduring prominence of the Syriac language, often revered as a linguistic cornerstone with global resonance.

Reflecting on the symposium’s discussions, Asia underscored the imperative of concerted efforts from all sectors — civil, media, charitable, religious, intellectual, and literary — in advancing initiatives to protect and proliferate the Syriac language.

In a resounding call to action, Asia and Youssef implored community members to unite their efforts in safeguarding the Syriac language, viewing the collective endeavor as a vital means of preserving cultural heritage and identity.