TURKEY

QANDIL, Kurdistan Region Iraq — At a ceremony commemorating the 41st anniversary of “Uprising Day” on 15 August, senior Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) commander Murat Karayılan renewed calls for the release of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, asserting that any peace process or move toward a democratic society “will remain…

ARKAH, Turkey — The Syriac village of Arkah will officially open its new cultural and community center this weekend, reported Arkah News reports. The building project was largely made possible by the financial support of emigrant villagers, organized in the Arkah Reconstruction and Relief Association. For the festive occasion, the…

ANKARA — In a moment widely regarded as historic, the Turkish Parliament’s newly formed Peace and Democracy Commission held its inaugural session in Ankara this week, opening the door to a potentially transformative process aimed at reshaping the country’s approach to governance, equality, and civic inclusion. While the commission’s roots…

ANKARA — The much-anticipated multiparty parliamentary Commission for Peace and Democratic Society met for the first time today. The Commission is tasked with paving the way for a democratic and inclusive constitution that grants rights to all  cultures, languages, and peoples—Kurds, Alevi, Armenians, Syriacs (Arameans-Assyrians-Chaldeans), Greeks—which are part of Turkey’s…

MIDYAT, TUR ABDIN — The Syriac (Chaldean-Assyrian-Aramean) people of Beth Nahrin spare no effort in revitalizing the spirit of Tur Abdin, one of their vibrant homelands, whether through the restoration of historic churches, the reconstruction of homes left behind by Syriac émigrés to Europe and beyond, opening of food establishments,…

BAKU / DARAMSUQ (DAMASCUS) — In a marked shift in Syrian diplomacy since President Ahmad al-Sharaa assumed office last December, a series of strategic developments is reshaping the country’s international engagements. This surge coincided with a visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra to…

ANKARA — Turkish political parties have announced their names for the “Peace and Democratic Society Commission,” which will serve as the platform for political dialogue and consensus-building to come to a more democratic and inclusive Turkish state. The commission has 51 seats. The ruling Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma…

MİDEN, Turkey — In a vivid display of Syriac Orthodox tradition, the village of Miden in Tur Abdin witnessed a collective ordination ceremony that brought 28 young men into clerical service at the historic Church of St. Jacob. The liturgy was presided over by Metropolitan Mor Timotheos Samuel Aktas, head…

SAMANDAĞ / HATAY, Turkey – The impact and aftermath of the two devastating earthquakes that struck Turkish and Syrian territories on February 6, 2023, remain deeply felt to this day—especially in the Hatay region of Turkey, where entire cities were destroyed, thousands of people lost their lives, and tens of…

ANKARA — In a landmark move that signals a potential turning point in Turkey’s decades-long conflict with its Kurdish, Alevi, Armenian, Syriac, and Greek population groups, the Turkish Grand National Assembly has officially announced the formation of a new multi-party body tasked with guiding the country toward a peaceful resolution…