REVIEWS:

APPEAL

     Participants of the international conference "The Problems of Historic and Cultural Heritage, Legal and Economic Status of Assyrians" (Moscow, March 26 -April 2, 1995; by Assyrian chronology the year of 6745) appeal to the United Nations Organization, UNESCO, Heads and Governments of the states where Assyrian people live.

     There exist over three and a half million Assyrians in the world -one of the most ancient nations on Earth. Numerous  of Assyrian Diaspora's dwell on the land of their ancestors (Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Jordan and Lebanon). One cannot overestimate Assyrian contribution to world culture. Assyrian findings and discoveries in architecture, astronomy, medicine, mathematics, metallurgy, music and other fields of human knowledge are world famous.

     The most valuable traits of Assyrians to- day are their tolerance and fidelity. No matter where Assyrians live they always treat the land of ,living as their motherland, they do their best to live peacefully with nations of different religions and cultures and never behave aggressively or betray the interests of the country that became their home.

    However it is not in every country that Assyrians are treated as daughters and sons. Even in the countries that once were primordial Assyrian lands we remain strangers. Old-aged stereotypes of hostility and intolerance adversely affect the situation, are often being supported by official authorities and result in unjust traditions and laws.

    In a .number of countries they take a systematic course on compulsory assimilation of Assyrians, washing out their national integrity even by way of giving them labels according to different religious trends (Syrians, Jacobites, Nestorians, Chaldean, Maronites).

    All this leads to unfavorable moral, political, social and economic living conditions for Assyrians and results in refugees appearing in European countries (Greece, Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine), in America (USA, Canada, Argentine, Peru, Chili, Brazil), Australia and New Zealand, most of the refugees being young people. At present more than 1.5 million Assyrians are living in like conditions.

    Assyrians have never wished and are not going  to change anyone's culture or religion. In other words, in this appeal we are being inspired not by nationalism, but by the desire to keep the culture of our people.

    Appealing to you we beg to help Assyrian people keep its identity, obtain in Eastern countries the right to establish national schools, newspapers, magazines and other means of mass media, theatrical and musical teams, and wear our own primordial name Assyrians.

     Once you show the necessary tolerance and friendly attitude to the Assyrian people it would be hundred fold returned by the due contribution to the future development of your countries and world civilization.

     We beg Secretariats of UNO and UNESCO to spread this massage among the member-states.