Assyrian scholars at conference in Athens urge Greece to recognize Sayfo Genocide

ATHENS — On 13–14 June, an international conference titled 1915–2025: One Hundred and Ten Years After the Genocide convened in Athens. Organized by the Greek Ministry of Education, its General Secretariat for Religious Affairs, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and the Assyrian Union of Greece, the conference brought together historians and researchers to examine the Sayfo Genocide and its enduring impact. 

The conference delved into the genocide’s causes, the events leading up to it, and the Turkish state’s continued denial, which participants argued influences its contemporary policies. Scholars such as emeritus professor David Gaunt (Södertörn University Stockholm), Shabo Talay (Freie Universität Berlin), Sabro Benjaro (SEYFO Center), Anahit Khosroeva (Harvard University), and Nicholas al-Jeloo (Istanbul/Nohadra) made an urgent appeal for Greece to recognize the Sayfo, aligning it with its formal acknowledgment of the Armenian and Pontic Greek genocides. 

In her address, Anahit Khosroeva, an Assyrian scholar and visiting researcher at Harvard University, emphasized the shared suffering of Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians under Ottoman rule. “Recognition is not only a matter of historical accuracy but also of solidarity and ethical responsibility,” Khosroeva stated, adding that the Sayfo Genocide was driven by intertwined nationalist and religious motives.

Kyriakos Patsaras, President of the Assyrian Union of Greece, highlighted the importance of recognition for the Assyrian community. “It is crucial for our people that Greece formally acknowledges the genocide,” he told the European Conservative. “This will not only vindicate the struggles of Assyrians in Greece but also place Greece among the European Union nations that have officially recognized the Assyrian Genocide.” 

Sabro Benjaro, a genocide researcher and head of the SEYFO Center, condemned Turkey’s persistent denial of its historical atrocities. Benjaro criticized the Turkish state for refusing to confront its Ottoman legacy. “Despite overwhelming historical documentation and scholarly consensus, Turkey continues to deny the genocide perpetrated against its Christian populations,” he wrote, calling on the Turkish government to acknowledge and address this painful chapter of history. 

The conference concluded with a call to action for Greece to formally recognize the Sayfo Genocide as a step toward justice and solidarity for all victims of Ottoman-era atrocities.