Appointment of Special WCA Representative to the Middle East

The World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (“WCA”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Antoine Tony Elkhoury from Sweden as the WCA Special Representative to the Arabic-speaking countries in the Middle East, particularly Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.

On behalf of Lebanon's Foreign Ministry, Dr. Tony Elkhoury (far right; with his wife Lena, far left) was presented a decoration for his remarkable achievements as a doctor by Lebanon's ambassador to Sweden, H.E. Ali Abbas Ajami (2016).

His main task will be to contribute to WCA’s policy objectives in the homeland by communicating our core messages to the Arabic-speaking Arameans and by increasing our support for them. This is a crucial position at a time when many uprooted Arameans desire to return home and rebuild their lives, whereas those at home are in need of the knowledge, network and support from the diaspora Arameans.

Johny Messo, the WCA President, commented: “WCA considers the homeland and the diaspora as two sides of the same coin that deserve equal attention. The root of our strength in the diaspora comes from the homeland, going back more than 3,000 years. The homeland is a constant reminder of our true identity, history and civilization which we strive to keep alive, in the homeland as well as in the diaspora, for future Arameans. I look forward to working closely with Dr. Elkhoury to bridge the gap between East and West, and between the homeland and the diaspora.”

In the past decades, Dr. Antoine Tony Elkhoury from Sweden has served the Aramean people in a number of ways. Since 1986, he has been the leader of the scout troops in Botkyrka. From 2010 until 2012, he was the chairman of the Christian Democrat party in Hedemora. In 2014-2015, he was a board member of our Syriac Federation of Sweden and the vice-chairman of our Aramaic satellite channel Suryoyo Sat, of which he became the chairman in 2016-2017. Dr. Elkhoury comes from a respected family of clergy; his father, for example, is the distinguished Cor-Episcopos Chabo Elkhoury in Hallunda, who is known for his virtues towards the service of the Aramean nation. Dr. Elkhoury has the required historical, linguistic and political skills to successfully assume the WCA Special Representative post to heed and represent the voice of the Aramean people in the Middle East.

Dr. Elkhoury will assume office on 1 December 2018 and his mandate runs until 30 November 2020.

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Download the press release (PDF) in the following languages:
English | عربى (Arabic) | ܐܪܡܝܐ (Aramaic)