TURKEY

MEDYAD, Turkey — A new Syriac language course has been opened at the Public Education Center in Medyad (Midyat), Turkey, following a request submitted by instructor Adem Coskun to the Ministry of Education on 28 September 2024, seeking permission to hold the course.    The request was recently approved, marking the first time the…

ANKARA — Following his meeting with Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi, DEM Party) Co-Chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş (Justice and Development Party, AKP) revealed that a parliamentary committee will be formed and begin active work in the coming days…

MERDE, Turkey — Lucas Aktash, a Syriac student, achieved first place in the Department of Syriac Language and Literature at Artuklu University in Merde (Mardin), Turkey. Thanks to his ambition, discipline, and dedication, he has become a role model for Syriac youth across Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia) and the world.   Following…

Istanbul, Turkey — Turkish authorities have detained five mayors and issued arrest warrants for dozens of other officials in an escalating crackdown that appears focused on Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who remains imprisoned on widely criticized political charges.  Police raids targeted municipal offices, resulting in the detention of three district…

MERDE, Turkey — Turkey has officially upgraded Mardin Airport to international status, marking a significant step for diaspora engagement and regional development. The decision, announced this week, has been celebrated by community leaders and travelers eager for improved access to the historic heartland of southeastern Turkey. This development would greatly…

ANKARA — Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi, DEM Party) Co-Chairs Tulay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırkhan engaged in talks with representatives of the ruling Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP) on advancing a new democratic and legal framework for Turkey. The discussions come…

New York — A century after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the wounds of its violent unraveling remain deeply felt by descendants of the empire’s Christian peoples. This week, the Eastern Mediterranean Business and Cultural Alliance (EMBCA) hosted its third annual forum on the Greek Genocide, bringing together leading…

By Denho Bar Mourad-Özmen | Journalist and Moderator at Suroyo TV  For stateless and often displaced peoples like the Assyrians and the Mhalmoye (Arabic: Mahalmi, Mhalmi), culture and tradition serve not only as identity markers but also as survival tools. These communities, originating from ancient Mesopotamia and Southeastern Turkey respectively, have…

İZNIK, Turkey — The historic town of İznik, formerly the ancient city of Nicaea, welcomed religious leaders and pilgrims from around the world to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a landmark event in Christian history. Delegations from various Christian denominations gathered for the occasion, with…

ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a new constitution, describing the current one as a relic of military rule that no longer serves the needs of Turkey’s evolving society. Speaking to reporters during his return flight from Hungary, Erdogan stressed the necessity of a “civilian constitution”…