The program was inaugurated under the patronage of Metropolitan of the Assyrian Church of the East in Syria Bishop Mor Ephrem Athneel and under the guidance of Rev. Boghos Eshaya. Organized by the Church's Christian Education Committee in Tel Tamr, the initiative aims to strengthen the use of the Assyrian language among children and young people and reinforce its role as a cornerstone of Assyrian identity.
Organizers said the course reflects the Church's commitment to safeguarding the language of previous generations and ensuring that it is passed on to younger members of the community. They described Assyrian as an essential element of the Assyrian people's cultural and spiritual legacy, emphasizing that preserving the language is inseparable from preserving historical identity.
Speaking to Ishtar TV during the opening ceremony, Ninorta Kiyyo said that families bear the primary responsibility for teaching their children their mother tongue. She described Eastern Assyrian not merely as a means of communication but as a living expression of Assyrian history, identity, and civilization.
Kiyyo also noted the historical and religious significance of Assyrian, describing it as the language traditionally associated with Jesus Christ. She said this legacy places an even greater responsibility on the community to ensure that future generations continue learning and using the language as part of their cultural and spiritual inheritance.
The opening ceremony concluded with renewed calls for collective responsibility in protecting the Assyrian language, with organizers stressing that language education remains one of the most effective means of preserving the identity of the Assyrian people and ensuring the continuity of their centuries-old heritage.
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