Athra Alliance calls for official recognition of Babylonian-Assyrian New Year, Akitu

BAGHDEDE, Iraq — The Athra Alliance in Iraq issued a public statement marking the celebration of the Babylonian-Assyrian New Year, Akitu 6775, which falls on 1 April. The Alliance extended its congratulations to the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian community, highlighting the festival’s deep cultural and historical significance.

The Athra Alliance is a joint political bloc formed by five Chaldea–Syriac–Assyrian political parties — Bethnahrin Patriotic Union (Huyodo Bethnahrin Athroyo, HBA), the Assyrian Patriotic Party, Abnaa al-Nahrain, the Assyrian Democratic Movement (Zowaa), and the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian Popular Council — on 3 August 2022. In March 2024, Abnaa al-Nahrain dissolved itself and merged with Zowaa.

The statement described Akitu as a reaffirmation of the community’s enduring national identity.

Each year, with the arrival of spring, the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people honor their ancient heritage, tracing back to the civilizations of Babylon and Assyria. “The historical and cultural significance of this national holiday reaffirms our people’s pride in their identity, inherited from their great ancestors,” the statement read.

بيان الاحزاب الأربعة بمناسبة رأس السنة البابلية الآشورية “الكلدانية السريانية الآشورية” ( اكيتو) المصادف الأول من نيسان 2025. pic.twitter.com/t5N2xumnR6

— اتحاد بيث نهرين الوطني-Bethnahrin Patriotic Union (@bethnahrinunion) March 30, 2025

Akitu also symbolizes renewal, both in nature and in the resilience of the community. The statement emphasized the people’s unwavering commitment to their rights, their struggle for justice, and their aspiration to live in peace and dignity in their ancestral homeland, Beth Nahrain (Mesopotamia).

The Athra Alliance reaffirmed its dedication to securing the full constitutional rights of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people in Iraq. “We remain steadfast in our struggle, prepared to make sacrifices for the sake of our existence, freedom, and dignity,” the statement declared.

Concluding its message, the Alliance called on the Iraqi parliament to officially recognize 1 April as a national holiday. “Iraq stands on a foundation of 7,000 years of history,” the statement asserted, “a civilization that has enriched humanity through advancements in governance, agriculture, science, and law.”