The Assyrians, one of the world’s oldest people, have for millennia developed a culture and civilization of their own that have immensely contributed to Western civilization.
Between 900 and 600 BC, for 300 years, Assyrian kings ruled the largest empire the world had yet known. The heartland of the Assyrian homeland is in Northern Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq, where the ancient cities of Assur and Nineveh were built.
The Assyrians represent Mesopotamia’s long history of cultural achievement, known to them as Bet-Nahrain, signifying the land “between rivers.”
The ancient Assyrians made remarkable progress in technology and science. The Assyrian art and architecture were ground-breaking. They built grand palaces (such as the great Palace of Sargon at Khorsabad) and produced some of the most marvelous works of sculpture. They collected tablets of literature and studies from previous periods of Mesopotamian history and preserved them in massive libraries. The world’s first organized library was located in ancient Nineveh, today’s Mosul. Many of these oeuvres, debossed on clay tablets, are studied in museums and universities around the world.
Assyria’s legacy in world history and civilization is significant. It was through the Assyrians that the ancient Greeks learned about Mesopotamian science and other knowledge, which had a major impact on Greek intellectual development.
Assyrians were also among the first Christians. The Assyrian Church of the East records that the Apostle Thomas converted the Assyrians to Christianity within a generation after the death of Christ. Assyrians speak modern Assyrian (also known as Syriac, Aramaic, or neo-Aramaic), one of the world’s oldest languages and the language of Jesus.
Due to their ethnicity and religion, Assyrians have for centuries been exposed to severe persecution and massacres in the Middle East. Their centuries-long persecution culminated during Ottoman Turkey’s Christian genocide from 1894 to 1924. Two out of every three Assyrians perished in the genocide.
This great civilization is stateless today but is still alive. The Assyrian Empire fell in 612 BC, and the surviving Assyrians continue to reside in their indigenous lands—albeit in much smaller numbers—in Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Turkey, where they are still subject to discrimination and oppression. Assyrians in the diaspora, however, thrive and greatly contribute to their adopted countries.
One such Assyrian is Juliana Taimoorazy, a leading international advocate, a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 and 2022, as well as a speaker and writer who promotes awareness of the persecution of Christians and other minorities in the Middle East. Taimoorazy is a Ph.D. student at the University of Texas at Dallas.
Taimoorazy founded the Iraqi Christian Relief Council (ICRC) in 2007 to shine a light on the plight of Christians in her ancestral homeland and to raise funds for providing food, shelter, and medicine to Iraq. Her own unique story as a refugee has made her a strong leader and an unshakable voice for Christians and other minorities in the Middle East today. Taimoorazy has advised many U.S.-based organizations and institutions on the issue of persecuted Christians in the Middle East, served as a policy consultant, authored many articles, and continues to speak globally in order to raise awareness on these important issues. In 2021, she also partnered with different U.S.-based organizations to assist with Afghan Christian rescue efforts.
Understanding the value of religious freedom, she has been known as a warrior against discrimination. She has spent much time building relationships between Middle Eastern Christians and the Jewish community. Through Assyrians Against Anti-Semitism, an initiative she founded in 2018, Taimoorazy participates in fighting against antisemitism in different communities.
Because she was born and raised in Iran and continues to have direct contact with the Iranians in exile as well as those inside the country, Taimoorazy is able to speak on the current political and humanitarian conditions in Iran.
As a young woman in 1989, Taimoorazy fled religious harassment in Iran and was smuggled into Switzerland. After spending seven days in a monastery in Zurich, she was once again smuggled into Germany, where she sought religious asylum. In December 1990, she arrived in America as a refugee in search of religious freedom and the American Dream. In 2000, she obtained her master’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University. As a passionate leader who knows firsthand how education can transform lives in America, she has helped refugee women obtain an education to rebuild their lives.
Her organization, the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. ICRC helps displaced Christians (and other minorities) throughout Iraq as well as refugees in neighboring countries by meeting their basic necessities. As part of this goal, she has appeared on Fox News, BBC, Wall Street Journal Live, Newsmax, Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), and numerous Christian radio programs, including CBN.
Taimoorazy has a heart for those who have served America in uniform. She helped raise donations for the Wounded Warrior Project, visited veterans at Walter Reed Hospital and gathered care packages for American soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For her tireless service to humanity, Taimoorazy was nominated for the prestigious Nansen Award through the United Nations Higher Commission on Refugees (UNHCR). She has received multiple awards, including Assyrian Woman of the Year, the Michelle Malkin Investigates “Bulldog Award,” and the Advocacy of the Year award, amongst others.
In June 2022, Taimoorazy received the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Medal of Valor, joining the ranks of Sir Winston Churchill and U.S. Congressman John Lewis. She is a UN delegate in Geneva, a member of the Community Engagement Committee of Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Midwest Region, and a former fellow of the Witness Institute, which strives to continue the work and legacy of the Holocaust survivor, professor, and Nobel Prize winner, Elie Wiesel. She will soon be releasing a book sharing her personal experiences and the plight of her people. It is entitled Daughter of Nineveh.
In an exclusive interview with The European Conservative, Taimoorazy shared her views on many issues, including the Assyrian nation, Christian persecution in the Middle East, rising antisemitism, and Iran, among others.
Many people in the West don’t know about Assyrians, although ancient Assyrians contributed enormously to Western civilization. Some even think Assyrians are extinct. You’ve been in contact with Assyrians all around the world for decades. I think you are the one who can provide us with a good description of who the Assyrians are. Can you share more?
The Assyrians are a people who inhabited the region of ancient Mesopotamia, primarily in what is now known as modern-day Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Turkey. Assyrians represent one of the most influential civilizations of the ancient Near East. They are known for their powerful empire, advanced culture, contributions made to civilization and military prowess.
The Assyrian civilization emerged in Mesopotamia, with its heartland centered around the city of Ashur. In the 7th century BC, the Assyrian empire extended from northwestern Iran to the eastern part of Egypt, establishing one of the largest empires of the ancient world.
The Assyrian Empire reached its peak during the 8th and 7th centuries BC; however, internal strife and external pressures eventually led to the decline of the empire. The Assyrian capital of Nineveh fell to the Babylonians and the Medes in 612 BC, marking the end of Assyrian dominance in the region.
In addition to their many military achievements, the Assyrians made significant contributions to art, architecture, literature, and technology. They built impressive palaces, temples, and cities adorned with intricate reliefs and sculptures.
Despite the fall of their empire, the Assyrian people continue to exist today. We do not have an accurate number of the entire population across the globe, but if I were to guess, I would say realistically, our population may be between 2 and 2.5 million scattered in different countries across the four corners of the world. They maintain a distinct cultural identity and language, Assyrian Modern-Aramaic, which is a modern descendant of the ancient Assyrian language.
The Assyrian population in Iraq totaled nearly 1.5 million prior to the U.S. invasion. Today, only an estimated 150,000 remain. What are the causes of this population decline?
There are many factors which led to their number dwindling starting in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The following are some of the reasons for this decline:
- The Baathist policy of Arabization led to the arrest and murder of many Assyrians in Iraq. Subsequently, the Assyrian population was mainly prohibited from printing Assyrian newspapers, many Assyrian associations were ordered to close, and even parents were forced to name their children with Arabic names rather than the typical Assyrian names.
- The brutal war between Iran and Iraq, which lasted for eight years.
- Multiple sanctions placed on the country of Iraq throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
- The Gulf War, including the 1991 Operation Desert Storm.
- The 2003 invasion of Iraq by the U.S. led to sectarian violence between the Shia and Sunni and systematic attacks against Christian families, churches, businesses, and homes.
- The 2014 ISIS invasion included the kidnapping of women and girls and the murder of men and women who refused to convert to Islam.
Over 130 Assyrian Christians of the Syriac church were burned alive after a fire broke out during a Christian wedding ceremony in Iraq on September 26, 2023; another 500 attendees were seriously injured. Nearly 60 of those killed in the inferno were directly related to the bride and groom. Please tell us about your organization’s efforts to help the families affected by the fire.
The Iraqi Christian Relief Council sent immediate aid to the burn victims, and as families began to say their goodbyes to their loved ones, we made sure to provide assistance during the final funeral procession. Nine children were completely orphaned, and approximately 50 lost a parent. We have sent aid to meet these children’s basic needs for the coming 12 months. Also, we purchased the necessary computer technology for seven orphaned adolescents in order for them to be able to continue their studies. For the Christmas holiday, we also partnered with our team on the ground and provided the orphaned children with gifts in order to bring a little smile to their profoundly sad faces. We are in this for the long haul, and we want to invite others to join our efforts in order to take care of all those who have become orphaned.
You have Assyrian family members who were murdered during the 1898-1923 Christian genocide committed by Ottoman Turkey. What do you think of Turkey’s aggressive denial of the genocide? What would you like to tell those who deny the genocide?
The obliteration of the human being is akin to killing the Holy One [God], as He created us in His own image. We are taught to love one another, and more than that, we are taught to love strangers. Yes, indeed, my paternal great-grandmother was burned alive by the Turks; one of her sisters was shot to death, leaving their youngest sister vulnerable. She was taken as a sex slave to the Kurdish mountains of Iran. This happened in 1919. I have other family members who were killed starting in 1898. My family’s story is part of the larger Assyrian story. Approximately two out of three Assyrians were savagely murdered by the Turks and Kurds during a 30-year period.
The great Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, once said, “Listening to a witness, makes you a witness.” The truth of everything that transpired in those bloody years is a matter of public record. The global archives house many eyewitness accounts and governmental records of inhuman and heinous atrocities that have been inflicted on my people. I humbly request that those people of consciousness, both Kurds and Turks, begin to face what their ancestors did to innocent people who lived on their own ancestral lands, who were farmers, shopkeepers, teachers, lawyers, and doctors. Those who had families and all they wanted to do was to live as free citizens in Turkey. But sadly, this simple request was not honored. It is never too late to begin the reconciliatory process, but in order for healing to begin, present-day Turks and Kurds need to take the first step and acknowledge the pain that some of their ancestors caused. The catastrophe, which is referred to as the Assyrian Genocide, must be widely written about and spoken of at universities and in human rights institutions. The silence on this mass atrocity must be broken.
Why do you think the Islamist persecution of non-Muslims (such as Yazidis, Assyrians, and other Christians) receives very little attention from mainstream Western media?
I believe the media and academic institutions are funded heavily by Islamic countries, which dictate the public discourse. Also, speaking out on atrocities committed at the hands of Muslims is considered an element of ‘Islamophobia’; therefore, the truth remains concealed.
You have engaged in a significant amount of advocacy against antisemitism. And you are currently doing academic research on the histories and cultures of both the Jewish and Assyrian people. What do you think of the rising antisemitism in the West following Hamas’ October 7 massacre, as well as the Islamist and hard-Left alliance?
It is shocking to witness the ferocious spike in antisemitic rhetoric and sentiment in the West. Unfortunately, antisemitism, or what I would rather call Jew-hatred, is not a modern concept. This sentiment against the Jews has persisted throughout the ages, stretching from ancient times through the Spanish Inquisition (1478-1834) and into the modern era. Remarkably, figures like Kant, Hegel, and even Marx, who himself was Jewish, have contributed to this unfortunate legacy. Today, we see Islamic Jihadists and their sympathizers at the forefront of perpetuating this hostility. One can say it goes back to the time of Tacitus and moves forward from then. As a Christian, I lament the fact that early Church fathers spread much Jew-hatred among their followers: St. John Chrysostom, St. Jerome, and St. Augustine are among many who called the Jews evil for not believing in Jesus Christ, as the Savior. Democritus, circa 460 BC, was anti-Jewish. The infamous allegation called ‘blood libel’ originated in 1144 following the tragic murder of a child in Norwich, England; Jews were falsely accused of this crime. This baseless accusation particularly gained notoriety in the 19th century.
The seed of antisemitism lies in the soul of every human being. In order for one to understand antisemitism in its essence, I would suggest reading an important book by Dr. David A. Patterson, Antisemitism and Its Metaphysical Origins. Those who are against Judaism often view Jews as bearers of the Torah’s message, whether or not they personally adhere to its teachings. This perception can foster automatic animosity towards them.
Jews have been viewed as a race, but we know that this is not a correct assumption. The diversity among Jews spans European white Jews, Ethiopian African Jews, Asian Jews, Yemenite Jews, Iraqi Jews, and many more. This fact transcends any racial boundary. However, one of the ways of demonizing the Jewish people is to propagate the new narrative of the ‘racist Jew.’
One must also remember that the great thinkers of the Enlightenment era communicated antisemitic sentiments. They targeted Jews particularly for their belief in God, the Torah, and revelation rather than causation. During the Enlightenment, emphasis was placed on reason over revelation, prioritizing individual understanding over following the word of God and attesting to its supremacy. Taking God out of the picture is a mode of thinking that began in the Renaissance and moved forward into the Enlightenment period. Descartes says “I think therefore I am,” and this goes against the essence of Judaism. Mystical antisemitism begins with the Church fathers, when the Jews were made to be a theological category; then, through the notion of reason in the Enlightenment era, one begins to see the popular notion of secular antisemitism.
God’s relationship with humanity is sacred for the Jewish people, and it comes from the Torah. Each human soul is connected to the other through God and through the first human, Adam. Judaism is about this basic and yet profound connection: God gave the Jews the commandments in order to connect with them out of love, which in turn is about connecting with all of creation. He gives the Jews, and frankly, all of us who believe in Him, an infinite responsibility to care for the other because the ‘other’ is infinitely precious, as the great Jewish thinker Emmanuel Levinas described all throughout his writings.
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is a heavily antisemitic book written in the late 19th century. It is widely believed to have originated in Russia by groups aiming to discredit Jews and justify their persecution. It is an element that has poisoned the world, portraying the Jews as an evil entity. Henry Ford circulated The Protocols in the U.S. through his paper, The Dearborn Independent.
Portraying Jews as evil in the form of the ‘Eternal Jew’ (a concept made popular during the Nazi Era) ushered in the path to exterminate the Jews in order to save the world from them. In other words, it became a redemptive action and a moral imperative for the sake of the Volk. In Islamic jihad, it is done on behalf of the Umma for the sake of ‘purification.’
For Christians, a Jew can be purified through baptism. But for the Nazis and the jihadists, purification is impossible. Dehumanizing the Jew will not lead to his or her victimhood; for the antisemite, the devil cannot ever be a victim. It may have been an unpleasant necessity for the Nazis, but it had to be done. For the jihadists, as we see, they wallow in this concept. Who can ever forget the celebration that went on in Gaza on October 7? Because for them, it is pleasing to God and the path to entry into paradise.
If one wants to better understand the evil that Hamas commits, then they should read the original Hamas Charter. Who can ever forget when the co-founder of Hamas, Ahmed Yassin of the Muslim Brotherhood, uttered these chilling words: “Killing Israelis [Jews] is an act of devotion.”
Who can ever forget the words of the Salafi Islamic Scholar, Muhammad Hussein Yaqoub, who said, “If the Jews left Palestine to us, would we start loving them? … They are enemies not because they occupied Palestine. They would have been enemies even if they did not occupy a thing … Our fighting with the Jews is eternal … until not a single Jew remains on the face of the Earth.”
When the young people scream on the streets of London, Chicago, and New York, “From River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free,” do they really know what they are saying? They are calling for the genocide of millions of Israelis, including Muslims who are citizens of Israel. Are these the actions of those concerned about human rights? I think not. You tell me, what should Israel have done when on October 7 babies were put into ovens? What should Israel have done when a pregnant woman’s abdomen was cut open, her growing baby was stabbed in the womb, and she herself was shot to death?
I believe we must stop and reflect; we must begin to learn to feel deeper and think higher, as Elie Wiesel instructed us. We must bear witness to the suffering of others, especially if the one suffering is a Jew.
You were born in Iran and frequently travel across the Middle East. You witnessed the coming to power of Islamists in Iran and its consequences. What do you think of the growth of Islamist movements in the West?
Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said he would take his revolution to four corners of the world, and he did. The Islamic Republic of Iran has been successful in showing that it can crush any revolt inside its borders, control another sovereign country (this is evident in Iraq), and place conditions on a superpower with weak leadership (the United States). Through its proxies, Iran is currently dominating much of what is happening across many regions. All this is done while its own people suffer from poverty and a lack of fundamental rights such as freedom of expression.
What would be an effective way for the EU executive and the U.S. government to help Assyrians?
We Assyrians are simultaneously grappling with two critical challenges: navigating the complexities of safety and survival in our homelands in the East and safeguarding our identity and rich heritage in the West.
Navigating the complexities of the Middle East is overwhelming. With adversaries from Iran and Turkey, as well as oppressive laws in Iraq, we face a multitude of challenges. Here is what I think.
We need robust secular leadership endorsed by the church that is organized to pave the way to secure our political future. Coupled with necessary educational opportunities, it’s essential to foster friendships with Arab, Turkish, and Kurdish neighbors through reconciliation. This only begins with those who have perpetrated crimes against our community. We have suffered tremendously in our homelands for the sake of our nationality and for our Christian faith. The time has come for Turks, Arabs, and Kurds to see us as neighbors, not strangers or guests. With a history spanning over 6,000 years, we deserve recognition. This begins by halting the ongoing historical revisionism that distorts our rightful heritage in Iraq and Turkey. These unjust actions undermine a history that is not just ours but a heritage that belongs to the entire world. We seek equality, not special treatment, and refuse to live under oppression any longer. Hence, having an area we call our own within the federated Iraq is important.
By rallying affluent Assyrians to invest in land and ventures, we can reciprocate support and pave the way for a brighter future for our community. It is imperative for us to overcome victimhood, acknowledging our own history while seeking healing and progress. I firmly believe that God has a plan for us, sustaining us through trials.
When it comes to the EU and the U.S., it’s imperative they see us not as pawns for their foreign policies but as human beings deserving security and a future in our homelands. If they are only interested in strategic benefits, then they must recognize that true partnership means investing in our communities, empowering us on this shared journey.
In the diaspora, the responsibility absolutely lies on our own shoulders. It is up to us to act now for the sake of our children and for the future of our nation. It’s crucial that we identify those who are visionaries—those who can rise to the occasion and take the responsibility of charting the course for preserving our heritage for the Assyrian people. Effective planning is crucial, but it’s equally vital to secure sufficient funding from those who share this vision. Within our global community, there are affluent individuals who aren’t engaged and have withdrawn support from critical endeavors essential for not just surviving assimilation, but thriving as Assyrians who contribute to and honor their host countries. This is absolutely understandable, albeit heartbreaking. Understandable because we, as activists, have not offered a new and compelling narrative to those who can assist. After all, who wants to invest in an endeavor that is stagnant? We, as advocates for the Assyrian future, must (and this I stress) create a new and exciting storyline that will reignite hope in the hearts of those who cherish Assyria and are disenchanted with the status quo.
I cannot overstate the importance of education. It encompasses a multitude of dimensions. Over many centuries, Assyrian scholars (like Ahiqar, Patriarch Timothy, Bar Hebraeus, Freydoon Bet-Abram Atouraya, Dr. David B. Perley, and Naum Faiq) as well as remarkable women (such as Sophia Ghajarian and Lily Taimoorazy) have greatly impacted science, philosophy, mythology, politics, literature, and culture. Their contributions resonate not only within our nation but also globally. They have left an enduring imprint on the world. In my opinion, the Assyrian enlightenment era, spanning approximately 120 years from the mid to late 19th century to the late 20th century, flourished across Iraq, Iran, Turkey, the Soviet Union, and the United States. It marked an important era of intellectual advancement. However, now is the time for an Assyrian renaissance, which is poised to bring a revolution in Assyrian thought and culture.
It’s truly inspiring to witness numerous Assyrian youths following in the footsteps of their ancestors, pursuing education in fields like medicine and engineering. Yet what is crucial now is the cultivation of global statesmen and women—figures in key positions within the military, international human rights law, educational institutions, and selecting visionary thought leaders shaping compelling narratives for Assyria’s future. We also require storytellers like filmmakers, poets, artists, and architects committed to creating a new vision of Assyria and preserving and fostering its vibrant essence. I am calling on the affluent members of the Assyrian community to step up and support these individuals with the funding they need. It’s time to act and support educational initiatives that can truly make a difference.
We, as Assyrians, are extremely unique. The Assyrian nation lives. We have withstood the sands of time; we have survived annihilation attempts; we have survived forced conversion attempts; and now we are dispersed in four corners of the world. As disheartening as this latter point may be, we must seize the opportunity to teach those around us about who we are, what we have offered the nations, and how we have survived adversity generation after generation. In other words, we must be aware of our own identity and our heritage in order to communicate our unique story to others. What binds us together is the love of the land (Nineveh), language (Assyrian, also known as Sureth), traditions, and faith. This keeps me going every single day. This bond must be instilled in the hearts and minds of children at a very young age; parents must believe and feel it. A mother plays a vital role in creating this love in her children. To me, Assyria is more than just a place; it is the very breath in my lungs, the very essence that I live for, a cause that I defend with my soul and with my life.
