The statement read:"While we appreciate the inclusion of both the anniversary of the Syrian Revolution on March 18 and December 8 as Victory Day, and we value the consideration shown in the schedule of official holidays for the country's religious diversity, we had hoped that national and ethnic diversity would also be recognized.

This could have been done by including holidays that reflect Syria's rich cultural and national heritage, such as Akitu (the Babylonian-Assyrian New Year) and Newroz, which hold deep symbolic significance for two main components of the Syrian people -- the Syriac-Assyrians and the Kurds.

As the Assyrian Democratic Organization, we express our disappointment and rejection of the omission of national festivals belonging to Syria's various communities -- particularly Akitu, which represents a deep historical and civilizational legacy, being an ancient Syrian festival celebrated for thousands of years.

We stress that recognizing Syria's ethnic diversity is a source of strength for the new Syria, not weakness. The exclusion of national holidays representing ethnic communities contradicts the provisions of the constitutional declaration, which affirms the ethnic and cultural diversity of Syrian society.

Therefore, we call upon the Presidency of the Republic to reconsider the list of national holidays and official breaks, and to include Akitu and Newroz as unifying national festivals for all Syrians -- truly reflecting the rich mosaic of Syria's people and their ancient, 6 history."