Congratulations Director‐General & Cooperative relations
Dear Ms. Bokova,
On behalf of the Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA), a United Nations NGO body and the acknowledged voice of the Aramean (Syriac) people, I sincerely congratulate you on your election as Director‐General of UNESCO.
We were very pleased with your appointment in this most distinguished position. We know that you have many years of experience in the political and human rights arena, which is so essential in the present era. In your role as Minister of Foreign Affairs, you have shown to genuinely care a lot about establishing (intercultural) dialogues, to build up or strengthen relations with other nations. For these and other reasons, we believe that you are the right person to take on this role at this critical time. We strongly believe that you will be able to bring a variety of cultures together and guide them on how to understand, appreciate and respect one another. UNESCO, and all who seek cooperation with this much‐needed UN body, will no doubt benefit greatly from your vision and mission.
Cooperation, inter‐cultural and inter‐religious dialogue
Your recent election is a great opportunity for SUA to reestablish cooperative relations with UNESCO. In 2002, my predecessor built the foundation of this relationship. On 6 November, 2002, UNESCO’S Assistant Director‐General, Mr. Ahmed Sayyad, wrote SUA a letter in response to our earnest wish for cooperation, inter‐cultural and inter‐religious dialogue.
Sincere interest was shown in SUA and in the ancient people whom we represent. On behalf of the then Director‐General, Mr. Sayyad stated that UNESCO is “aware of the Aramean people’s ancient and rich history and of your organization’s cooperation with other confessional groups of the Middle East region in joint projects aimed at promoting better reciprocal knowledge and mutual respect between different traditions and cultures.”
Most recently, from 15 to 29 August, SUA dispatched an official SUA delegation to Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. Among the dignitaries that SUA met during this trip were the Minister of Information, the Minister of Culture and the Grand Mufti of Syria.
In Damascus, SUA stressed the relevance of dialogue and cooperation on different levels. The Syrian Government officials also acknowledged the antiquity and richness of the Aramaic cultural heritage, part of which has originated and flourished within the boundaries of modern Syria.
