World Council of Arameans explained

World Council of Arameans (Syriacs)
Abbreviation:WCA
Predecessor:Syriac Universal Alliance
Formation:1983
Founding Location:New Jersey
Type:Non-governmental organization
Status:Special Consultative Status within the United Nations Economic and Social Council
Language:Neo-Aramaic languages
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:Johny Messo

World Council of Arameans (Syriacs),[1] previously known as the Syriac Universal Alliance (syr|ܚܘܝܕܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ ܬܒܝܠܝܐ|Ḥuyōdō Suryōyō Tbelōyō), is an international non-government umbrella organization, whose membership consists of several national associations, representing Arameans (also known as Syriac) from various countries around the world.[2] Position of the SUA/WCA president is regarded as representative within Aramean/Syriac community. Since 2009, the organization is presided by Johny Messo.[3]

Activities

The organization was founded in on 16 July 1983, in New Jersey, as the Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA), on the initiative of the American Aramaic Association and the Swedish Syriac Federation. It was later joined by several other Aramean organizations from various countries. In 1999, SUA was given a Special Consultative Status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

From 1999 to 2002, the organization was presided by Habib Afram (b. 1954), an Aramean/Syriac politician from Lebanon. He was succeeded by Gabriel Marawgeh, an Aramean/Syriac politician from Sweden, who represented SUA at the conference on genocide against Aramean people, held on 6 November 2007 in Brussels, under auspices of the European Parliament.[4]

Under the presidency of Johny Messo (since 2009), the organization intensified its support for the notion of Aramean continuity, and also for the promotion of Arameandom (Oromoyutho), primarily among those who self-identify as Arameans, but some wider concepts are also advocated. On several occasions, representatives of SUA/WCA stated that some other Aramaic-speaking communities of the Near East, such as modern Assyrians and modern Chaldeans, should also be viewed as Arameans,[5] thus advancing a pan-Aramean narrative, that provoked reactions from other communities.

Representatives of SUA/WCA have criticized the policy of Arabization, that was affecting both linguistic and ethnic identity of Arameans and other non-Arab communities in some Arab countries, particularly in Syria.

In 2011, as a result of cooperation between SUA and the Council of Europe, an educational program was initiated, under the name: "1st Aramean Young Leadership Programme: The Road to the Future". In 2012, official name of the organization was changed to World Council of Arameans (Syriacs).[6] New name was adopted in order to emphasize and promote Aramean identity, but traditional Syriac designation was also kept, as a symbol of continuity.

In 2015, WCA had an active role in manifestations commemorating centenary (1915-2015) of genocides committed by the Ottoman Empire against various Christian communities in the Near East.

In 2016, representatives of WCA participated in conference "The Alarming Situation and Persecution of Aramean Christians" that was held on 25 May in Brussels, organized by the European People's Party group of the European Parliament.[7] [8]

WCA delegation participated at the "Third International Conference on the victims of ethnic and religious violence in the Middle East", that was held in Brussels, on 14 May 2018, under auspices of Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[9] [10]

In 2019, WCA representative Hala Naoum Néhmé, an Aramean politician from the Netherlands, was selected by the UN and appointed by Geir Otto Pedersen (UN Special Envoy for Syria) as one of 50 selected members of the Syrian Constitutional Committee.[11] [12]

Mission

"The World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) is dedicated to answer the call to protect and secure the rights, liberty and equality of the Aramean people, safeguard and promote the cultural heritage of its ancestors, ensuring justice, and uniting all its people as a self-determined and internationally recognized Aramean nation."[13]

Members of the WCA

The current member-organizations of WCA are:[14]

See also

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: World Council of Arameans [Syriacs] - Home]. wca-ngo.org. Sep 14, 2022.
  2. Web site: Home. Soporte Completo. Sep 14, 2022.
  3. Web site: World Council of Arameans [Syriacs] - WCA Board]. wca-ngo.org. Sep 14, 2022.
  4. Web site: News - Brüssel, 6. November 2007, 15:00 bis 18:00: Informations- veranstaltung im Europäischen Parlament über den Völkermord an den Aramäern. A. G. A.. e.V. Arbeitsgruppe Anerkennung (AGA). Sep 14, 2022.
  5. https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1190534/1788_1321530566_sua-turkey-cescr46.pdf Syriac Universal Alliance: 2011 Turkey Report: Recommendations for promoting and protecting the human rights of Syriac (Aramean) Christians
  6. Web site: World Council of Arameans [Syriacs] - Name change: SUA to WCA]. wca-ngo.org. Sep 14, 2022.
  7. Web site: Annual Activity Report 2016 of the EPP Group in the European Parliament. Sep 14, 2022.
  8. Web site: EPP Group in the European Parliament. www.eppgroup.eu. Sep 14, 2022.
  9. Web site: Third International Conference on the victims of ethnic and religious violence in the Middle East. Sep 14, 2022.
  10. Web site: World Council of Arameans [Syriacs] - WCA President speaks at 3rd International Conference on Victims of Religious and Ethnic Violence in the Middle East]. wca-ngo.org. Sep 14, 2022.
  11. Web site: Syria's Constitutional Committee: The Devil in the Detail. Middle East Institute. Sep 14, 2022.
  12. Web site: World Council of Arameans [Syriacs] - Female Aramean Christian in Syria Constitutional Committee - one of five proposed WCA candidates has been selected by the UN]. wca-ngo.org. Sep 14, 2022.
  13. http://sua-ngo.org/mission The Mission of the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) | World Council of Arameans (Syriacs)
  14. Web site: World Council of Arameans [Syriacs] - Member Federations]. wca-ngo.org. Sep 14, 2022.
  15. Web site: Syriac Association of Australia . Apr 30, 2013 . Sep 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130430021642/http://www.syriacaa.com.au/ . 30 April 2013 .
  16. Web site: Over SAFN. Nov 14, 2015. aramesefederatie.org. Sep 14, 2022.
  17. Web site: Syrianska Riksförbundet. syrianska.org. Sep 14, 2022.
  18. Web site: MEMBRO WCA. www.fas-ev.ch. Sep 14, 2022.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "World Council of Arameans".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.