ASSYRIAN GENOCIDE MONUMENT

A memorial can be viewed as a window into the past. Through artefacts and memorial monuments we are able to remind ourselves of a time gone by, and reflect upon the achievements of mankind. Without these artefacts, we would have no knowledge of human events, and for this reason it is important to share those memories with our future generations.

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Assyrian in Australia wants to honour the memory of all victims of Assyrian genocide with efforts to attain the justice of a living memory for them and to prevent any further horrors of that sort by educating all mankind toward the guiding ideals of humanity and solidarity among all people.

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This Assyrian Genocide Statue at Bonnyrigg where the majority of the Assyrian community resides is to become a memorial complex dedicated to the remembrance of over half a million Assyrians who perished in the first genocide of the twentieth century at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. The Assyrian Genocide (Seyfo) was the greatest tragedy in modern Assyrian history.

This Monument will become a pilgrimage site. With a beautiful landscape, it will blend in perfect harmony with its surroundings, becoming an integral part of Australia’s architecture. Its austere outlines convey the spirit of a nation that survived a ruthless campaign of extermination.

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Every nation has a day set aside for the remembrance of its nationals who bravely give their lives for the preservation of their fellow people, culture and ethnic identity. Every year, on 7th of August, Assyrians all over the world including our community in Fairfield gather to commemorate the Assyrian Martyrs and Genocide Remembrance Day to honour the memory of the victims of the Assyrian genocide. Efforts are made to attain justice through holding their memory alive, and to prevent any further horrors of that sort by educating mankind about the guiding ideals of humanity and solidarity among all people.

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“Assyrians appreciate the value of citizenship in Australia and consider themselves even more privileged to be living in what they recognise as being the best city of the world – Sydney. This vibrant community cannot however cease mourning its tragic past when its people remember that they are the children and grandchildren of those who even to date have vivid memories of the horrific events of a genocide that shaped their present status as a stateless nation… It is in this context and in the context of universal human rights that the Assyrian community, as part of the Australian community, pleads that this ethnic, religious and cultural genocide of their people be acknowledged and recognized.” One in ten persons residing in Fairfield is of Assyrian ancestry.

With so many of our residents settling in Fairfield City after fleeing situations of war, trauma and torture, the sculpture proposed by the Former Committee of Assyrian Universal Alliance -Australia INC conveys a universal message of a safer world.

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The Design and Construction of the Memorial:

The sculpture is designed by artist Lewis Batros. He started working on assembling the genocide Monument during January 2010 , after a hard work of four months the sculpture  was made ready to be transferred to the location were the genocide monument will be erected and built at Bonnyrigg Park . The construction of this memorial commenced in May 2010  and is expected to be completed in July the same year for the official unveiling on August 7.

 The hand represents the people who dedicated their lives to create a better and safer world. The hand is draped in the Assyrian flag, representing the survival and spiritual rebirth and unity of the Assyrian people. Figures of young children come together at the base, symbolising the faith in the younger generation to carry the torch for the future of the Assyrian nation. The hand holds the globe for recognition of the Assyrian genocide. The Lamassu (winged bull) is a mythological entity which wards off evil spirits.

Total height of the memorial = 4.5 m

Steel: 3 tonnes, concrete 15 tonnes

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