Amid a distinguished official and public presence
The Syriac Cultural Week 2022 was launched in the presence of Mar Abras Youkhana, Representative of His Holiness Mar Awa III, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, Mar Paul Thabet Habib, Metropolitan of Alqosh for the Chaldeans, Ano Jawher, Minister of Transport and Communications of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Dr. Salar Othman, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Youth, Ali Tatar, Governor of Dohuk, several members of the Kurdistan Region Parliament, and a large audience.
On Thursday, December 8, 2022, Muhammad Aref Jaziri Hall in Nohadra witnessed the launch of the activities of the Syriac Cultural Week 2022, organized by the General Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts in the Kurdistan Region and the Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts / Dohuk. Amidst a distinguished official and public presence, its mobile activities will continue between Nohadra, Alqosh, Telskuf, and Zakho, for the period from 8 to 12 December 2022.
The ceremony started with a dance painting presented by the Bermaya Syriac troupe coming from Beit Zalin/Qamishli in Syria, followed by the speech of the Governor of Dohuk, Dr. Ali Tatar, who indicated that the holding of this Syriac cultural week in Dohuk is the best example of the fraternal coexistence that all components enjoy in it. He pointed out the depth of the roots of the Syriac culture which extend back thousands of years BC, and was radiant and had a role and impact on other civilizations, even imposing its language on other civilizations in writing and speaking. Moreover, he stressed the interest of the regional government in providing appropriate means to serve, develop and preserve this language.
The ceremony launch was followed by a speech by the Ministry of Culture and Youth of the Kurdistan Regional Government delivered by Dr. Salar Othman, Undersecretary of the Minister, who emphasized the importance of fraternal coexistence in the region and indicated that the ministry pays great attention to the cultures of the components, as we do not have a small component and another large component, as everyone enjoys the same amount of respect, care, attention, and praising. The representative of the Minister of Culture expressed his gratitude to the Director-General of the Syriac Culture and Arts, Kaldo Ramzi Oghanna, and the staff of the directorate for their efforts in organizing distinguished events and activities. He also stressed the Ministry’s support for the Directorate and its specific activities, and for all other general directorates concerned with the affairs of the components, without any interference in their affairs.
This was followed by the speech of the General Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts delivered by its Director General, Mr. Kaldo Ramzi Oghanna, during which he announced the launch of the Syriac Cultural Week 2022 to be “A starting point for revitalizing the cultural movement in Nohadra and its surrounding villages, towns, and cities of our people, and thus we move from Nohadra to Alqosh, Telskuf, and we conclude in Zakhotha. We emphasize that our message is openness to one another, and as difference and diversity are a source of richness and not a cause of disagreement, proceeding through the path of culture to open ourselves up to other cultures”. He expressed his happiness that “today we are among you, our brothers and loved ones, here in Nohadra-Maalthaya, dear to our hearts, where a famous school was established and flourished in which Mar Ith Alaha and Mar Sahdona graduated, and not far from it, in Alqosh, Mar Mikha Al-Nuhadri founded his famous school… to confirm the prominent educational role of our people throughout the ages. Then, Mr. Oghanna presented the shield of the General Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts to the representatives of the associations participating in the cultural week.
It was followed by a piece of music with a Syriac song presented by the Kanara Orchestra from Baghdida, the capital of Syriac culture.
During the ceremony, a short film entitled “Nohadra” was shown, which dealt with the history of this ancient city, the depth of its ancient roots, and its bright, splendid present. While a group of male and female poets of our people, including Boutros Nabati, Zina Youssef, Mina Awtar Sadiq, and Nimrod Qasha, took turns in reciting selected poems, interspersed with musical performances by the Kanara Orchestra.
Then, a dialogue session emerged on “the reality of Syriac singing”, with the participation of the great artists of our people, namely: Shlimon Bet Shmuel, the poet Nineb Lamassu, and the artist Youssef Aziz, and it was moderated by Laith Benjamin. The audience interacted with the session, especially with the hum of Syriac songs accompanied by the playing of the lute.
The first day concluded its activities with the opening of an art exhibition that included plastic works and other handicrafts, in addition to a book exhibition that included the publications of the General Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts within the Syriac Culture Series.
It is worth noting that the Syriac Cultural Week 2022 continues its activities for the period from December 8-12, 2022, moving from Nohadra – Dohuk to Alqosh and Telsukf in the Nineveh Plains, and then concludes its activities in Zakho. Its program includes a variety of cultural activities, art exhibitions, and dialogue sessions, in which a group of creative people from among our people participate.
