The Syriac language once the main language for the Christian community in Iraq now is being replaced by Arabic especially among the younger generations.
In an attempt to survive, the directorate of Syriac education under Iraqi ministry of education has launched teaching courses for eradication of illiteracy in Syriac language.
“I was not able to read or write in Syriac but I joined a course in one of the centers for eradication of illiteracy and passed basic and complementary levels with excellent degree,” said Tzizia al-Shorji, a Christian resident of Baghdida (Qaraqush) town in Mosul.
Shorji is proud now she can speak Syriac, her mother language, and calls for support of the campaign in her hometown.
I was not able to read or write in Syriac but I joined a course in one of the centers for eradication of illiteracy
One of the reasons behind diminish of the ancient Aramaic language is the nationalistic strategy of Saddam regime which banned learning and teaching Syriac in the last two decades of 19th century,
Christianity ranks the second religion after Islam in Iraq and it is a recognized religion by Iraqi constitution and their official language is Syriac.
Two decades ago, Iraq was home for over 2.5 million Christians, 3% of Iraq's population falling to 1.8 m in 2003 following gulf war. They were mainly living in the provinces of Baghdad, Nineveh, Duhok, Kirkuk and Erbil.
Latest figures say currently only 400,000 Christians are living in Iraq, mainly in Mosul and the adjacent Kurdish region. Education in Syriac was free in the subdistricts of Sarsang and Nahla of Duhok northern province since 1990s following the ousting of Saddam regime from the three Kurdish provinces of Iraqi Kurdistan region.
Today, only 100,00 Orthodox and Catholic Christians in Iraq can speak Syriac. Big part of the vulnerable community fled abroad and many families are still waiting for confirmation of their migration in neighbor countries of Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon.
Nineveh October 2019- A class for teaching Syriac language. Photo by directorate of Syriac education.
In 2015, a series of Syriac courses were launched by public and private centers. Mar Jacob Srouchi is one of the Syriac teaching centers in Ainkawa Christian dominant district of Erbil following take over of Mosul and one third of Iraqi territories by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria ISIS.
Figures by Iraqi Human rights commission states that 1.5 million Christians were living in Iraq. Following sectarian violence that plagues the country, over thousand Christians were killed. Currently, almost 250,000 live in Iraq, mainly in the stable northern provinces.
“We have founded the center when people were displaced (by ISIS) and the IDPs were in a very critical conditions but they learned Syriac successfully,” said Esam Yako, manager of the center which trained 167 applicants out of which 107 passed the 7-month course.
the IDPs were in a very critical conditions but they learned Syriac successfully
Christians live in Iraq since the first centuries of the religion and include Chaldean, Syriac, Assyrian and Armenian churches, about 14 sects.
The Iraqi Christian community suffered decades of discrimination and persecution since fall of Saddam regimes in 2003 amid the majority Muslim population and its leaders, yet finally have found north of Iraq a safe haven till the pop up of ISIS extremist militant group.
Nineveh October 2019- A student gets certificate for passing a course of Syriac language. Photo by directorate of Syriac education.
The center of Mar Jacob Srouchi plans to extend its services to offer courses about Syriac culture in general, particularly in literature and art.
“The center is open around the year for learners and will do its utmost to make eradication of illiteracy of Syriac and teaching it a success,” Yako added
Back a day in October 2010, Islamic militants of al-Qaeda seized Our Lady of Salvation Catholic Church in Baghdad during a Sunday evening mass, killing dozens of people, including two priests, in a terrifying four-hour siege. The assault was one of deadliest against Iraq’s Christians.
The bloodbath deepened the mistrust between the beleaguered community and its Muslim neighbors and fueled the Christian immigration from Iraq.
Christian clerics are pleased of teaching Syriac to the vulnerable Christian community, one of the ancient inhabitants of Iraq and Mesopotamia, the eastern Christians.
“Support for teaching Syriac and eradication of illiteracy is a proof for existence of Christians and the Syriac in this ancient and historical region,” said bishop Bahna Soni.
