The Syriac-Assyrian parties in Syria — the Syriac Union Party, the Assyrian Democratic Organization, and the Suraya Democratic Party — received with appreciation the issuance of Decree No. 13 of 2026 by the Syrian transitional president, Mr. Ahmad al-Shar’a, concerning the recognition of the cultural and civil rights of Syrian Kurdish citizens. They described it as a long-awaited positive step on the path toward constitutional recognition of the national and cultural rights of Syria’s components.
While we welcome this decree and congratulate the Kurdish people of Syria on securing rights that would not have been achieved without the cumulative struggle of the Kurdish people and their political movement, we believe that the decree, in its current form, remains incomplete. It does not address Syria’s national diversity in a comprehensive manner, reducing it to only two components — Arab and Kurdish — while overlooking the rest of the country’s indigenous national groups, foremost among them the Syriac-Assyrians.
The Syriac-Assyrians constitute one of Syria’s deepest historical roots. This ancient component played a central role in shaping Syria’s civilizational and cultural identity. The Syriac-Assyrians gave Syria its very name, and their language was the language of the land for centuries. Its influence remains evident in the names of many regions and in local dialects. Their scholars, physicians, thinkers, and cultural, literary, and administrative figures made essential contributions that formed key pillars of Syrian civilization across the ages. Moreover, through their political and civic movements, the Syriac-Assyrians made great sacrifices and waged significant struggles to liberate Syria from tyranny, and they were active participants in the Syrian revolution from its outset in March 2011.
We, the undersigned parties and organizations, reiterate our welcome of Decree No. 13. In line with its first article, which affirms that Syrian national identity is “plural and unified,” and in accordance with Article 7 of the Constitutional Declaration guaranteeing the linguistic and cultural rights of Syria’s components, and in harmony with international human rights conventions and the rights of indigenous peoples, we call for completing this decree by recognizing the national and cultural rights of the Syriac-Assyrians, as a step toward entrenching and constitutionally safeguarding these rights.
These rights include:
- Constitutional recognition of the existence and national identity of the Syriac-Assyrians as an indigenous component of Syria, and guaranteeing their full national rights — political, cultural, and administrative — within the framework of Syria’s unity of land and people, as a state of multiple nationalities, religions, and cultures.
- Recognizing the Syriac language as a national language and guaranteeing the right to learn and teach it.
- Adopting the Babylonian-Assyrian New Year (Akitu), on April 1, as a national holiday.
- Supporting and promoting Syriac arts and literature by allowing the publication of specialized newspapers and magazines, establishing relevant cultural associations, and allocating programs and broadcast hours on national radio and television dedicated to the Syriac language and culture.
- Ensuring fair representation of Syriac-Assyrians in state institutions, government administrations, and representative bodies at both the national and local levels.
Building a new Syria, breaking with the era of authoritarianism, and restoring harmony between the state and its diverse social reality cannot be achieved without recognizing the full spectrum of Syrian identity. Such recognition strengthens the country’s unity and resilience and lays the foundation for equal citizenship based on justice and non-discrimination among all citizens, both individuals and communities.
Signatory Parties:
Syriac Union Party
Suraya Democratic Party
Assyrian Democratic Organization
