The General Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts, in cooperation with the Chaldean Culture Society, held a memorial ceremony for the late writer Nuri Boutros Atto at the hall of the Chaldean Culture Society in Ankawa district centre on the evening of Monday 9 October 2023, and in the presence of a number of parliamentarians, administrative and government officials, the family of the deceased, and a crowd of his friends and admirers.
The ceremony began with a minute of silence to mourn the soul of the deceased and the souls of the martyrs of the Baghdeda wedding tragedy. In the speech of the General Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts, its General Director Kaldo Ramzi Oghanna said, “Here is the author of ‘The Flying Ankawi,’ arriving at his final stop, to rest in peace in the arms of his beloved town of Ankawa and never leaving it, after he sought during the course of his literary life to immortalise it and document its news and history in his writings.” He praised the deceased’s virtues, his role as a virtuous educator, his literary and intellectual productions, his contributions as a writer in Banipal magazine, and his constant presence in the seminars that the directorate regularly organised. He added, “We are all confident that they will perpetuate his memory for generations and generations.”
This was followed with a speech from the Chaldean Culture Society, given by Sabah Shamiya, during which he recounted the biography of the deceased. Then, the poet Gorgis Nabati delivered a memorial poem on the occasion, followed by a speech from the Syriac Writers Union, delivered by Union Vice President Akkad Murad, which addressed the role of the deceased in cultural life and his literary contributions.
The writer Boutros Nabati and Dr. Kawthar Najib also presented life testimonies about their lived experience with the deceased, followed by a speech from the deceased’s family read by his grandson, Dr. Anmar Nizar, in which he thanked those responsible for organising this memorial ceremony and expressed his appreciation to all of its participants. The program concluded with the presentation of musical pieces.
