The Voice of the Diaspora: European Syriac Union Marks 21 Years of Syriac Solidarity 

BRUSSELS, May 16, 2025 — Yesterday, a day after its 21st anniversary, the European Syriac Union (ESU) linked up with SyriacPress, where Co-Chair Fehmi Vergili—speaking with measured pride and conviction—reflected on two decades of advocacy, unity, and resilience for the Syriac people across Europe and beyond. 

From the moment ESU was founded on May 15, 2004, Vergili reminded his audience, its mission was clear, to amplify the voice of a people long divided by names and creeds, and to champion their democratic rights on the world stage. “We began with a simple yet ambitious goal, strengthen representation of the Syriac community in Europe, foster solidarity among our scattered diaspora, and honor our cultural heritage as a shared treasure,” he said. Over 21 years, that vision has translated into 10 national recognitions of the Sayfo Genocide, annual human-rights reports to the European Commission, and burgeoning ties with governments from Stockholm to Strasbourg.

A Journey of Unity and Recognition 

When asked whether the ESU had met its founding objectives, Vergili was candid. “We have made tremendous strides—yet our journey is ongoing.” He noted that early on, ancient divisions among Syriac, Assyrian, Chaldean, Aramaean, and Maronite identities ran deep, fracturing solidarity and weakening political leverage. “Even within families, there were lines drawn,” he said. “But through cultural forums, diplomatic missions, and grassroots gatherings, we treated every denomination and church as indigenous part of our historic richness.” 

ESU’s work helped reframe identity not as a barrier but as a strength. By promoting an inclusive Syriac identity that embraces all branches of the Aramaic-speaking Christian peoples, the ESU has nurtured a sense of shared heritage among communities that once worked in silos—or worse, in competition. “We gradually earned not only a seat at European parliaments and international forums,” Vergili said, “but also a deeper unity among ourselves.” 

The quest for recognition of the 1915 Sayfo Genocide, he emphasized, remains “our collective wound,” one that binds every member of the diaspora. Today, more than a dozen countries—including Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden—have officially acknowledged the atrocities. “Monuments rise, books are published, conferences convene,” Vergili observed. “Those who once denied our history have been forced to reckon with our truth.” 

A Non-Partisan Platform with Parity as its Guiding Principle 

The ESU’s structure has always been designed for sustainability and credibility. Its decision to register as an NGO rather than a political party has allowed it to maintain a neutral, advocacy-focused stance—crucial in a diaspora often fractured along political or religious lines. Brussels-based and non-partisan, the organization can engage directly with European institutions without the constraints of electoral politics. 

One of the ESU’s most emblematic features is its co-chair model, in which leadership is always shared equally between a woman and a man. “From day one, we set this principle,” said Vergili. “It wasn’t just symbolic. It reflects our belief that the struggle for our people’s rights must also be a struggle for equality within our people.” 

Co-Chair Manuela Demir, currently leading the ESU’s cultural and youth outreach, is a respected advocate for women’s representation and education. Together, she and Vergili manage a lean Brussels team responsible for policy briefs, European-level lobbying, annual commemorations, and biennial congresses—the next of which is slated for 2026. Demir is also spearheading a new program aimed at building leadership capacity among young Syriacs across the diaspora, particularly women, to step into advocacy roles over the next decade.

From Human-Rights Reports to Regional Advocacy 

Each year, the ESU delivers a meticulously documented report on Turkey to the European Commission, detailing land seizures, hate crimes, and unsolved murders (Turkish: “Faili Meçhul”)—most infamously the targeted killings of the Diril couple. These reports, compiled with the help of local NGOs, field researchers, and legal experts, serve as a barometer of human rights regression in Turkey and a call for action. 

Vergili acknowledged the frustration that can come with diplomacy. “Brussels listens, and only sometimes acts,” he said. “But often, the reality of geopolitical interests—NATO partnerships, refugee deals—delays our cause.” Still, the ESU remains persistent. “We see promises made, then postponed. Yet we press on, because our people cannot wait.” 

Beyond Turkey, ESU advocacy extends to Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria. In Beirut, the Union supported the launch of the Christian Front, a cross-denominational effort to ensure political visibility for Christians amid Lebanon’s shifting sectarian balance. In Iraq, the ESU continues to push for administrative autonomy and land protections for Christians in the Nineveh Plain, where displaced Chaldeans-Syriacs-Assyrians remain in limbo. And in Syria, the Union maintains contact with emerging Levantine councils that are attempting to establish pluralistic governance models in post-conflict zones. 

“These are complex theaters,” Vergili conceded. “But without engagement, our communities remain voiceless. We don’t pick sides in wars—we stand with civilians.” 

Cultural Renaissance and Digital Resilience 

Cultural preservation remains central to the ESU’s vision. Thanks to its diaspora networks, schools in Paris and Stockholm now offer Classical Syriac classes, a vital effort in reviving a language once pushed to the margins. In Berlin, a new partnership with a local broadcaster has allowed Syriac-language news programs to air weekly, reconnecting younger generations with their linguistic roots. 

“Language is not only a tool of communication; it’s a vessel of memory,” said Vergili. “If we lose our mother tongue, we lose ourselves.” 

The Union also runs seasonal youth camps, language competitions, and a digital archive initiative aimed at collecting oral histories from elder diaspora members who fled genocide, discrimination, and war across the Middle East. “These stories are our inheritance,” said Co-Chair Manuela Demir in a recent campaign. “We must preserve them before they vanish.” 

Looking Ahead: Legacy and Responsibility 

As the interview drew to a close, Vergili became more reflective. He paid homage to founding President İskender Alptekin, who passed away on May 18, 2010. “His name is etched in every brick of what we’ve built,” Vergili said. “His sacrifice fuels our commitment.” 

He also expressed gratitude to the many unnamed activists, volunteers, and donors who have poured “heart and sweat into this Union” across two decades. “Some were children when we began,” he said. “Today, they are the ones leading our new initiatives.” 

Looking forward to the European Syriac Union’s Ninth Congress in 2026, Vergili hinted at major announcements: expanded cultural funding, a pan-European digital network for Syriac youth, and renewed campaigns for Sayfo recognition at the UN level. 

“In 21 years,” he concluded, “we have built a platform from which the Syriac community speaks with one voice. In the years to come, that voice will only grow stronger—and louder.”

Below the documentary about activities of the European Syrian Union in the last 20 years (in Syriac)