Syriac community in Liège, Belgium, commemorates 91st anniversary of Simele Massacre

LIÈGE, Belgium — On 7 August, Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) institutions and organizations commemorated the 91st anniversary of the Simele Massacre in Iraq.

The youth of the Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO) in Liège held their annual remembrance event, bringing together various Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community groups, including European Syriac Union (ESU) representative Hanna Kurt.

The commemoration took place in front of the Sayfo Genocide memorial, where attendees observed a minute of silence in honor of the Simele martyrs and all Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) martyrs.

Father Fikri Gabriel, priest of the Virgin Mary Church, led a prayer for the souls of the martyrs and delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of remembering the 1933 massacre.

ADO youth officials spoke about the brutal massacre carried out by the Iraqi government against the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people and underscored the vital role of youth in continuing the struggle for justice.

The event also featured a documentary on the Sayfo genocide, followed by an interview with Father Gabriel, who reflected on the significance of martyrdom and the ongoing dedication of Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) youth to the cause of Simele, in pursuit of justice for the victims.