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ASSYRIAN UNIVERSAL ALLIANCE
AUSTRALIA CHAPTER INC.
ABN: 70 453 374 009
Member, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO)
PRESS RELEASE
Sydney – 23 March, 2015
AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER JOINS IN THE CELEBRATION
OF THE ASSYRIAN NEW YEAR FESTIVAL
The Assyrian community in Sydney celebrated the Assyrian New Year Festival on Sunday 22nd March
2015 at Fairfield Showground. This was the first time that the Assyrian community of Australia
celebrated the festival in the presence of a Prime Minster of Australia. The Hon Tony Abbott MP, Prime
Minister was accompanied by his wife Mrs Margie Abbott. Mr Abbott was welcomed in a customary
Assyrian manner with traditional dancers leading the way before him. He was greeted by thousands of
community members as he joined dignitaries from Local, State and Federal Government, together with
special guests from overseas and representatives from different community organisations.
The customary New Year Program commenced at 1:00 pm, with the Australian and Assyrian national
anthems, followed by one minute of silence in respect of the Assyrian martyrs and prayer by Rev.
Father Ninos Eliya of the Assyrian Church of the East.
After welcoming the attendees, the Master of ceremonies Miss Melanie Alkhas , of Young Assyrians
invited Mr. Hermiz Shahen, Deputy Secretary General of the Assyrian Universal Alliance, to officially
welcome the guests . Mr Shahen extended a warm welcome to the Hon Tony Abbott MP, Prime
Minister of Australia and his wife Margie Abbott for honouring the Assyrian community with their
presence. He thanked representatives of the Local, State and Federal Government for their attendance
and support over the years. Mr. Shahen spoke about the bitter situation of the Assyrians in Iraq and Syria
who are currently living on the edge of extinction, marginalized and facing genocidal actions by the
Islamic State, resulting in purging them from their historic lands. He appealed to the Australian
government to mount an immediate and decisive response and to:
•
Call upon the international community and all democratic forces to help in the efforts to release
the Assyrian hostages captured by ISIS.
•
Call upon the international community and all democratic forces to help in the efforts to Provide
immediate humanitarian aid and protection to Assyrian refugees impacted by the ISIS inflicted violence;
•
Provide adequate and proper weaponry to the Assyrian guards to enable them to defend
themselves against the fierce attacks by ISIS in both Iraq and Syria. .”
Mr. Shahen appealed to the Australian government, the United States of America and the European
Union to call upon the United Nations Security Council to take immediate and substantive action to
establish a self-administered safe haven for our Assyrian people and preserve the Nineveh Plains in Iraq
PO Box 34, Fairfield NSW 1860 Australia.. Mobile: 0407 235349
E-mail: [email protected]
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for the Indigenous Assyrians and other non -Muslim minority groups in the area, such as the Yazedies
and Mandians..
In his address the Prime Minister highlighted the current atrocities facing Assyrians, the original people
of Iraq and Syria. “I want to assure you that you are not alone, that your struggle is our country’s
struggle; that your struggle is the world struggle, and we will do what we can to bring this to a happy
conclusion, and I can also assure you for this matter that the Australian Parliament is united. The
military commitment that we have made for the Middle East has been strongly supported not just by this
government but by the alternative governments of our country. So stand strong, stand proud and stand
free, because that is the way that all Australian citizens should be.” Mr Abbott said.
Other guests were Senator the Hon. Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Parliamentary Secretary officially
representing the Honourable Scott Morrison, Minister for Social Services. & the Hon Peter Dutton MP,
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection; the Hon. Chris Bowen MP, Federal member for
McMahon representing the Hon Bill Shorten MP, Leader of the opposition.; Mr. Craig Kelly MP;
Federal member for Hughes, Mr. Chris Hayes MP, Federal member for Fowler, Shadow Opposition
Whip ; Clr. Frank Carbone, Mayor of Fairfield City Council; Rev The Hon. Fred Nile MLC, President,
of the Christian Democratic Party ; Mr Andrew Rohan, MP, Member for Smithfield, representing The
Hon. Mike Baird, MP, Premier of New South Wales; The Hon. David Clarke MLC, Parliamentary
Secretary for Justice; Mr. Guy Zangari MP, State Member for Fairfield, Shadow Minister for
Citizenship & Communities, Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation, Representing The Hon. Luke
Foley MLC, Leader of the Opposition; Mr. Nick Lalich, MP, State member for Cabramatta; Dr. Hugh
McDermott, Labor Candidate for Prospect; Mrs Maria Diep New candidate for Cabramatta; Mr Edward
Royel, CDP candidate for Fairfield; Mr Sam Georgis, CDP candidate for Prospect and Superintendent
Peter Lennon, Fairfield Local Area Commander.
All parliamentarians extolled the efforts of the Assyrian Universal Alliance - Australia in its continued
deliberations and meetings with the Australian government concerning the plight of Assyrians in the
Middle East. They voiced the certainty of the Assyrian people obtaining their full rights and freedom in
Iraq and Syria.
Before the conclusion of the official opening program two major awards were presented. The Friend of
Assyria award was presented to Senator the Hon. Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, for her substantial
contribution, advice and support to the Assyrian Universal Alliance, and for her extensive efforts in
conveying the needs of the Assyrians to the Federal Government. The Australian Assyrian of the Year
award was presented to Mr Khamis Gewargis Khamis, in recognition of selfless devotion and courage in
providing moral support to the Assyrian self-sacrifices “DWEKH NAWSHA who are guarding our
liberated towns in Assyria.
For the fourth successive year, The Donny George Exhibit was organised by The Young Assyrians of
the Assyrian Universal Alliance. In years past, the exhibition highlighted Assyrian contributions to the
advancement of civilization. However this year, the exhibit displayed a timeline of Nineveh, from its
establishment as a city to the future aspirations of an Assyrian homeland, highlighting major periods of
history in between. As years past, homage was paid to individuals who have served the Assyrian nation.
This year the individuals selected were: Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI (1887-1918), Ashur Yuusif (18581915), Sir Stanley George Savige (1890-1954), Yousip Toma Hermis (1951-1985), Youbert Benyamin
Shlimon (1954- 1985), Youkhana Esho Jajo (1946-1985), Margaret George Shello (1941-1969),
At 6:00 PM a dramatic arts piece based on Assyrian historical records of the New Year’s Festival in
ancient times was performed by a collaboration of Assyrian youth groups. The theatrical piece simulated
the arrival of the King and Queen of Assyria from the remote past to bless the festivity.
The Assyrian New Year Festival has been successfully hosted by the Assyrian Universal Alliance
(AUA), and the Assyrian Australian National Federation (AANF) for the last ten years.
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The New Year Festival was aired live on the internet so that Assyrians and non-Assyrians alike can
watch it live or on delay, across the globe on the following link: at http://www.m1media.com.au or at this
link https://new.livestream.com/M1MediaPro/AssyrianNewYear6765.
Assyrian Universal Alliance
[email protected]
Media Contact: Mr. Hermiz Shahen: Mobile: 0407 235349
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