The Syriac Cultural Center waas been founded by the Syriac League on 1-1-2007, and works under its supervision, the League being a legitimate non-governmental and non-profit organization.

Objectives:

1. Compiling, cataloguing and maintaining the Syriac cultural heritage, whether audio-visual, or in the form of records, manuscripts and prints.

2. Regulating this heritage so it can be at the disposal of all communities and all researchers and those interested.

3. Preserving this cultural fortune and the popular memory and language of religious groups that have been destined to lose their homeland and live in Diaspora as immigrants.

Sections:

1. The Library: Contains right now 2000 books and aims at increasing this number to 5000 by the end of 2007.

2. Music: The goal is to collect 2000 CDs containing the Syriac, Assyrian, and Chaldean anthems and songs.

3. Photographs: Compiling the photographs that truly depict the history of these minorities in their lost homelands as well as in their modern countries

4. Religious Icons: Collecting as many as possible

5. Paintings and Sculptures: Collecting as many artistic pieces executed by members of these minorities as possible.

6. Historical Books: Some of which are really endangered and threatened by total loss, most of which require rehabilitation, re-compilation and maintenance as part of the human history.

7. Maps: Collecting historical maps depicting the homes of Syriacs and the region

8. Publishing: Publishing all the may contribute in highlighting this heritage so that it can become accessible to all.

The Board:

• Mary Masbounji: Retired Judge
• Suhail Qasha: Priest, and writer of 75 publications
• Gaby Kouriye: Syriac Language professor
• Elia Issa: Writer, Syriac Language professor
• Jean Chamoun: Retired General in the Lebanese general security
• Christian Oussy: Journalist, Consultant to the former deputy Prime Minister, official at the LAU University
• Ray Jabr: PhD in History with an emphasis in Syriacs
• Paul Couly: Priest, Writer, and expert on Syriac music
• Micheal Couly: Harvard University, Former Reuters Director in the Middle East
• Raghida Bahnam: Journalist, PR executive
• Dr. George Massy: University Professor
• Eliane Foursan: History Expert
• Dr. George Ewaz: University Professor
• Dr. Elias Melki: PhD in Religious History
• Dr. Julie Akary: English Language Professor at the Lebanese American University
• Habib Afram: League President, Secretary General of the Christian Leagues in Lebanon, Writer and Lecturer

Headquarters:

Jdeide Autoroute, Daghelian Building, First floor
Telephone: 961-1-896919 / 961-1-884812
E-mail: syriac@inco.com.lb
Account Number: Bank of Beirut s.a.l / Jdeideh -- Lebanon / 11-401- 209611- 00 / Swift Code: BABELBBE

The headquarters are in the process of being assembled and require support from all the institutions, corps, individuals, countries, parties and international organizations that are interested in participating in the preservation of popular Eastern heritage.

www.tebayn.com