Why teach the Assyrian Genocide?
The Assyrian genocide profoundly impacted the Assyrian nation. In addition to the loss of an estimated 250,000 Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Syriacs, the genocide destroyed homes, villages, communities, and connections. Tens of thousands of children were orphaned and traumatized. Most survivors were prevented from ever returning home. This, in part, is why more Assyrians today live in diaspora than in their ancestral homelands.
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The genocide took place at the same time as the Armenian genocide, with violence carried out by the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. Understanding the experience of all targeted nations helps students more fully understand the scope and scale of the violence during this period whilst also learning about the unique experiences of each community.
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This curriculum aims to provide students with an understanding of key events surrounding the Assyrian genocide, including how the Ottoman Empire carried out a policy of genocide against Assyrians living within the Ottoman Empire and Persia and the continued impact of these atrocities on the Assyrian population today.
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It is estimated 250,000 Assyrians were killed during the genocide from 1914 to 1918.
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In 2023, the State of Arizona officially recognized the Assyrian Genocide. A text of the resolution is available here.
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"The veneer of civilization is paper thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest."
- Congressman Tom Lantos, Holocaust Survivor