Assyria: Identity, Heritage & Politics | Sabrina Bet-Mansour | TEDxFrancisHollandSchoolSloaneSquare
I am Assyrian, a descendant of the Assyrian-Babylonian empires of Mesopotamia, the cradle of Western civilisation. Ancient Assyrians had more than military might; they were innovators and made important inventions we still use today. Assyria has not existed as a country since our empire fell almost 7,000 years ago, but our nation, language, culture, and traditions have survived. Today, the global diaspora of Assyrians and the religious and ethnic persecutions in the Middle East pose the gravest of challenges to our nation. I will talk about how I learned about my Assyrian heritage and how it informs my identity. I will also talk about the challenges we face and what we must do to preserve our nation. Sabrina is a student at Francis Holland School, Sloane Square. She plans on studying languages and the interaction of cultures, and has a profound interest in Sports Psychology. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
Пікірлер: 180
Sabrina, your grant father, Doctor Wilson Bet Mansour was an Assyrian parliamentarian in the Iranian parliament. He also was an Editor-in-chief for the Assyrian monthly newspaper, "ATOUR". The eminent, Doctor Bet-Mansour, used to mail his prominent newspaper to me while I lived in Lebanon. Your grand father Doctor Wilson Bet-Mansour was an Assyrian nationalist, and for us all, he still remains as an Assyrian legend and he will forever live in our hearts. I hope your voice echoes the four corners of the Earth. Let the World know.
All Assyrians are very proud of you, Bassma Ganakh
@sukaenacornelius9285
9 күн бұрын
According to western Assyrians, I’m not Assyrian. I’m not white enough.
Aw, my name is Sabrina and I feel exactly the same! My mom is French Canadian and my dad is Assyrian! His side of the family all speak Assyrian and have so much pride, although I’ve never learned it. The amounttttt of times people reply “youre a Syrian?” and I go “no, assyrian!” Nobody ever knows who they are 🥹
@jamesyonan1564
Жыл бұрын
😂👍 ("NO! *Ah* -ssyrian!!!")
@kalyankoley8105
6 ай бұрын
It would be an added pleasure to have been able to be connected with the Assyrians of Today.
@user-ut3dy5jz6s
4 ай бұрын
ur not really assyrian ur dad is if ur not lying about that but u dont know the language for some reason ur so called assyrian dad married outside the culture I dont believe ur dad is assyrian u do realise assyrians originate in the Middle East not canada he married a canadian French woman I dont think he would of left Middle East unless he was married so its hard to believe hes assyrian and that u r too if he is from the Middle East where from and u wouldnt be u r a westerner u dont know the language
@user-ut3dy5jz6s
4 ай бұрын
@@kalyankoley8105 hes not Assyrian and shes not either if her dad is its her dad not her like she said she dosent know the language or the culture hard to believe when middle eastern culture were taught to marry inside culture not outside if her dad is assyrian she isnt she doesnt know one ting about the culture let alone language if he is just him not her shes white because of her mum thats what u get for marrying outside culture
@Martarini
3 ай бұрын
Omg so relatable!!! I’m half Assyrian half El Salvadorian people always think I meant Syrian too 😂
Proud Assyrian American here!
@malikaabizar8318
5 ай бұрын
You have a very long history.
@danielevan823
5 ай бұрын
@@malikaabizar8318 yeah I would love to know more about the history!
I'm with you Sabrina. I'm 19 years old and I'll take my lifetime to bring as many Assyrians back together as possible. Möge unsere alte Stärke zu uns Assyrern zurück kehren! Allaha haue minakh
@kalyankoley8105
6 ай бұрын
It would be an added pleasure to have been able to be connected with the Assyrians of Today.
Great to know the legacy of Dr. Wilson Bet Mansour goes on. Very proud of you. Excellent presentation.
@bovinespongiformflu
Жыл бұрын
arent you that lawyer guy! hello!
Great job! By the way, Assyria did not cease to exist when the Assyrian Empire fell in 609 BC. You can read about the post-imperial period of Assyrian history, including Achaemenid Assyria (Athura), Roman Assyria, Adiabene, and lastly Asoristan.
@icysaracen3054
15 күн бұрын
Biggest mistake was replacing Ashur with a Jewish hebrew god. Thats when the Assyrians lost power.
Love it! I explain our heritage the same way (though people usually don't believe me because I have blonde hair and blue eyes). We will not allow our language and culture to disappear.
@bardownski7858
Жыл бұрын
Libbie ❤
@kalyankoley8105
6 ай бұрын
It would be an added pleasure to have been able to be connected with the Assyrians of Today.
this is amazing, seeing an assyrian giving a ted talk is so inspiring! keep it going khatee❤
word up Sista !!! power to all assyrian all over the world !! basimta raba!
@kalyankoley8105
6 ай бұрын
It would be an added pleasure to have been able to be connected with the Assyrians of Today.
Nice presentation. I am Assyrian on my father's side. WIth his recent passing, I have taken a similar plunge into our history and heritage. There is so much to discover!
A speech to define the Assyrian nation, well done Sabrina
Great Job Sabrina, I can see my Uncle"s Assyrian Spirit in you.
@kalyankoley8105
6 ай бұрын
It would be an added pleasure to have been able to be connected with the Assyrians of Today.
Great Job Dr. Bet Mansour!
Much love from an Assyrian in Germany, Sabrina!
Thank you for being Assyrian not only in mouth but in heart too. When it comes to identity, our heritage is part of our identity. I suggest since non of you born in America you should say you are Assyrian-French.
Basma ghanakh!! Khayad! Such an inspiration to all Assyrian youth!
Absolutely amazing what you've done. You're parents are probably super proud of you for educating the world of who are Assyrians and what have they achieved in the world.
Nothing is greater than knowing your identity specially when it is Assyrian ❤ May God bless our beloved nation and united us all together 🤲🤲🤲❤️❤️❤️
Such a great and interesting presentation. Both Doctors, Wilson and Nora Bet-Mansour would be so proud of you.
What an eye-opening presentation! I grew up in Australia finding it very hard to identify with my Assyrian culture. Always believing it to be "too old" or disconnected from the western world. Now as I'm older, I'm learning to appreciate this rare heritage and history that we have and hoping to learn more about what makes our culture so special!
The Assyrian (Chaldean, Syriacs) Nation needs to unite again and work for out own Region in our ancestral Land where we can speak and teach our Aramaic language, so Our children will learn it and preserve it. Tihe Othur Tihe Suryoye God Protect Assyrian and Assyria will RISE If we do IT! ܬܝܚܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ ܬܝܚܐ ܐܬܘܪ
So proud of you Subrina. The Assyrian queen Sabrina spoke about our Assyrusn history on TED TALK. You made your grand parents & us proud. My mother survived the Simele massacre of 1933 in Iraq, walking at night, hiding at during the day to Russia. She lived there with her uncles for 7 years and went later back home. She helped us leave Assyria, the occupied land by the Bath party and later by ISIS and corrupted government . For years we dreamed about going back , unfortunately the politic didn't allow that. Now my siblings live in Sweden & I live in US . We were not allowed to learn our language at the church being accused having secret meetings after university hours in Baghdad. I can only speak my language & can't read or write it. The forgotten nation like many others out there by the united nation. There is hope where are young people like yourself.
My lovely ❤Assyrians. I love my Assyrian people.
Basmeganakh! Beautiful presentation 👏👏
Привет из Москвы , братьям ассирийцам! Ассирийцы - один из самых древних народов , которые построили первую в мире цивилизацию и много, многое, многое другое…!!!
Brilliant speech. Excellent communication skills!! 👍👍
Excellent presentation. Thank you very much.
Both my parents are Assyrian, regardless of how much more difficult it is to explain, I always say that I am Assyrian when asked about my heritage. Wonderful message, well done.
Besma ganakh! Ashur Ehyeh bless you 🙏❤️🙏
so inspiring🙌🙌🙌👏👏👏👏👏
Assyria, kingdom of northern Mesopotamia that became the centre of one of the great empires of the ancient Middle East. It was located in what is now northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey. A brief treatment of Assyria follows. For full treatment, see Mesopotamia, history of: The Rise of Assyria. Assyria was a dependency of Babylonia and later of the Mitanni kingdom during most of the 2nd millennium BCE. It emerged as an independent state in the 14th century BCE, and in the subsequent period it became a major power in Mesopotamia, Armenia, and sometimes in northern Syria. Assyrian power declined after the death of Tukulti-Ninurta I (c. 1208 BCE). It was restored briefly in the 11th century BCE by Tiglath-pileser I, but during the following period both Assyria and its rivals were preoccupied with the incursions of the seminomadic Aramaeans. The Assyrian kings began a new period of expansion in the 9th century BCE, and from the mid-8th to the late 7th century BCE, a series of strong Assyrian kings-among them Tiglath-pileser III, Sargon II, Sennacherib, and Esarhaddon-united most of the Middle East, from Egypt to the Persian Gulf, under Assyrian rule. The last great Assyrian ruler was Ashurbanipal, but his last years and the period following his death, in 627 BCE, are obscure. The state was finally destroyed by a Chaldean-Median coalition in 612-609 BCE. Famous for their cruelty and fighting prowess, the Assyrians were also monumental builders, as shown by archaeological sites at Nineveh, Ashur, and Nimrūd. Close-up of terracotta Soldiers in trenches, Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
@kalyankoley8105
6 ай бұрын
It would be an added pleasure to have been able to be connected with the Assyrians of Today.
Great presentation!
Excellent 👍👍❤❤
“Chaladeans” are slowly opening thier eyes to our actual Assyrian heritage as well.
@philregaz599
Жыл бұрын
Can I ask a question. Do you have any proof that assyrians called themselves assyrians before the 1800s?
@assyriaturabdin4641
Жыл бұрын
@@philregaz599 We are Assyrian people - ashuraye - assuroye - suraye - suroye - suryoye!
@philregaz599
Жыл бұрын
@@assyriaturabdin4641 you didn't exactly answer my question. Just because they sound the same doesn't mean they are. I just want to find proof that there was a moderate amount of people who have assyrians names before the 1800s. I couldn't find anywhere.
@assyriaturabdin4641
Жыл бұрын
@@philregaz599 Yes they are the same, old historical texts before and after our era have proven that and modern research says the same. And above all this people has been named by neighboring people and use these synonyms themselves throughout the ages.
@philregaz599
Жыл бұрын
@@assyriaturabdin4641 Again. We need concrete proof. I haven't seen any neighboring culture calling the aramaic speaking populations as "assyrian" on a mass scale.
Very well said. Keep up the good work.
Wonderful! 👏👏👏👏
Great job!
Assyria is rising again
Very well done Sabrina! I, from the land of the oldest culture & civilisation, wish you all the success in your endeavour. It would be an added pleasure to have been able to be connected with the Assyrians of Today. The sun will rise again, if you wait and struggle for it.
Excellent presentation! Khaya ganakh.
@kalyankoley8105
6 ай бұрын
It would be an added pleasure to have been able to be connected with the Assyrians of Today.
Love this!!
I’m with you if I’m the last Assyrian person on earth 🙏
Fantastic job 🙏💐
Loved it! ❤️👏👏👏
Very proud of you. God bless you. God bless Assyrian and God Bless America my home sweet home 🙏🕯️🕊️🇺🇲✝️✝️✝️✝️
Thankyou for the insight of your nation of Assyrian God bless
Excellent presentation, keep up the great work.
Thank you khayee!
Good job queen
Assyrians in Armenia (Armenian: Ասորիներ, Āsōrīnēr) make up the country's third largest ethnic minority, after Yazidis and Russians. According to the 2011 census, there are 2,769 Assyrians living in Armenia,
@mehmetdereroberer5553
8 ай бұрын
Yazidis are Kurds. Yazidi is ancient kurdish Religion
Semiramis was a historical Assyrian queen of Babylonian birth, who lived and reigned around 800 B.C.E. By the 18th century the legends associated with her life had eclipsed her actual accomplishments as queen, notably due to the popularity of Voltaire's eponymous play, written in 1748. His version of her life centered on palace intrigue, notably the beautiful queen's affair with Assur, and her plot to have him poison her husband, the king. As he dies, the king implores a trusted friend to take his son, Ninias, away from the palace to save his life. Although Semiramis ruled Babylon well for fifteen years, during that time she was stricken with guilt over the murder of her husband and the loss of her son. Her lover Assur, however, plots Semiramis' death after she refuses to marry him and install him as king. To foil his plans, she arranges to marry a young warrior, who is in fact her son, whom she mistakenly believes to be dead. Ninias is warned away from this incestuous marriage by his father's ghost, who then demands that his son avenge his murder. Led by the ghost, Ninias stabs and kills a form he believes is Assur, but is, in fact, Semiramis.
@soundofshamash
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing
@jamesyonan1564
Жыл бұрын
Yeah, sounds like something our beloved ppl would do! 😏 (😜😂)
Khaya Ganekh 👏🏻👏🏻
Well done on raising awareness 👌
Excellent talk
Bravo we're proud of you
I’m a Chaldean Assyrian to
Beautifull talk. One note: only the book of Daniel is originally written in Aramaic. The rest of the old testament is originally written in Hebrew, and the new testament in Greek. Lots of love from the Jewish nation!
GOD Bless You
Incredible speech!
ܐܬܘܪܝܐ 💫🤍💙❤️
Love To Assyrians
Intresting Language and History. Greetings from Turkey you all 🫶🏻
Well presented. Sad of the process of persecution suffered Read about the true great Assyrian Empire and ironical that so few left in the modern world.
Assyria forever
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
God Bless every assyrian!
🙏
😢😢😢😢 this made me cry wow lol 😂
much love and respect from india, come what may, assyrians yazidis kurds will get a homeland one day,
@alphabeta86
Ай бұрын
Definitely what goes around comes around.
What brought me here is in the Bible says as in the days of Noe before the 2nd coming of the Son of Man, everyone saying it's is as in the days of Noah, not true, Strongs concordance Noe means Providence of Assyria, thank you for your info about your wonderful family
WHAO, a correction is warranted here. There are five (5) million Assyrians total ? The Chaldean population in Iraq and abroad are estimated to be 400k at a minimum (worldwide) and a maximum of 650k but not likely, most agree it’s 500 - 550k worldwide. The Chaldean to Assyrian ratio is Chaldeans are 8 or 9 : 1 Assyrian, so the 5M number needs to be updated.
@user-pp8gq1bf8c
8 ай бұрын
The Assyrian church of the east has about 400k thats not counting the Ancient church of the east which are also assyrians and other churches
All the while I thought Assyrians were an extinct group of people. Once a very powerful nation as told in the Bible.
Aasura vs devas
The vast majority of Biblical scholars disagree "the original Bible was written in Aramaic". The Old Testament was written in Hebew and the New Testament was written almost entirely in Greek. This is the scholarly consensus.
The Kurds want their land. The assyrians want theirs. The Muslim world in the region is full of war. You pretty much want to reestablish the conquering empire of assyria but I don't think it will be possible anytime soon. The kurds managed to get their bit somehow though so let's see
😼💯sab bri bri😍
The God is Ashur the Land is Ashur the people are Ashur the language is Ashur****Greater
if u came from a assyrian descendant from the Babylonian assyrians then so did the assyrians whos parents r from the Middle East but does that Mean u speak ancient Aramaic
True land of Assyria is on North American continent
I’m Assyrian from Turkey. The Assyrians were never promised land it was the Kurds who were promised. The Kurds saw this an opportunity to wipe out all the Assyrians so that South East Turkey could be theirs. At this time the Ottoman Empire was collapsing and First World War broke out. Turkey was attacked from different angles and many western countries wanted a peace of Turkey. This was an very unfortunate event that lead to the massacre of the Assyrians. But the Assyrians always wanted to live in peace. Get your facts right.
@user-pp8gq1bf8c
8 ай бұрын
From what i know assyrians were promised land by the brits and kurds might have been promised land by the ottoman am gussing idk but it was kind of a proxy war
@Kedeer45
7 ай бұрын
It was the tribal lords who attacked the Assyrians, the local Kurds did not attack, they even saved many Assyrians from being killed.
@assyrianking44
5 ай бұрын
@Transwoman356 don't spread lies.
@Kedeer45
5 ай бұрын
@@assyrianking44 I'm not lying, if you go to the cities of Diyarbakır and Mardin, you can encounter many of them.
@assyrianking44
5 ай бұрын
@@Kedeer45 and we have eyewitness testimony of kurds working with the turks to gather assyrians during the Sayfo, if kurds are so great why have they personally stolen my father's land? Listen if you sleep with kurds that's fine but don't fabricate stories in order to help the Kurdish agenda.
I always thought that Assyrians were present day Kurds?
@TheCanaaniteUnionist
2 ай бұрын
No they aren’t. The Kurds have been trying to steal Assyrian history and architecture.
@basixlena6706
12 күн бұрын
No, thats just kurds doing, some of them call us kurds in order to justify them stealing our land but also erasing our identity. We both have different cultures and language.
Assirian, kurds, yazidis, were trod by arabs and their culture. Must bring back the old glory of these three nations
Marduk the 'god' was taken to court and found guilty. Old folk religion.
I'm not Assyrian-American I'm American - Assyrian
I love the Assyrians as well. Greetings from Kurdistan.
Many moden arameans claims that the assyrians people are extinct and that syrians are only arameans
*The Armenians are trying to use us Assyrians in the issue of genocide against Turkey, but at the same time, the Armenians are flirting with the Kurds against the Assyrians.*
@ICEBLUNTS
Жыл бұрын
agreed bro
@cristiano7ronaldoTHEGOAT
4 ай бұрын
Both Armenians and Assyrians were slaughtered by Turks.
@user-sh7oq4pv3g
4 ай бұрын
This is your problem! In the Assyrian genocide, mainly 80-90% Kurds took part.
@user-sh7oq4pv3g
4 ай бұрын
@@cristiano7ronaldoTHEGOAT This is your problem! In the Assyrian genocide, mainly 80-90% Kurds took part.
God Bless Assyrians…I’m so tired of these idiots spreading misinformation about our culture!
Christiandom will raise again. Damn the heretics. Damn those ☪️
@user-pp8gq1bf8c
8 ай бұрын
Not with hate tho but with love
Name 1 Assyrien King , prince or any importent person how called himselv for Assyrien from 612 bc untill 1870 when the English created the (Assyriens) you will not find
Assyriens RIP 612 BC THIS IS FACT
@axelmegaton5115
22 күн бұрын
Ere dakhmare bymmokh
Basically, Christian from Iran, I can claim I am from mohenjo Daro civilisation. Get over yourself.
Assyrian spoke Akadian a branch of Aramian
Fascist woman.
@user-pp8gq1bf8c
8 ай бұрын
How?
@axelmegaton5115
22 күн бұрын
Are you talking about your mother?
Hahaha asyrrian homeland not possible... Now there are majority Kurds are living in northern Iraq
@alphabeta86
Ай бұрын
Not possible is nothing.
@hilinyonan2051
10 күн бұрын
There's nothing impossible in God's hand. Amen 🙏🕯️🕊️🇺🇲✝️✝️✝️✝️
Why u r so prowd of ur leggasy??the assarian Empire was so qruel to others nations like the Israeli Empire that was desroyed by that assurians.
@cristiano7ronaldoTHEGOAT
4 ай бұрын
All empires are cruel.
No the "original" Bible was not written in Aramaic. You need to stop spreading this nonsense!
@ayrtonbet-mansour7018
Жыл бұрын
Yes it was, do your research mate.
@petarjovanovic1481
Жыл бұрын
@@ayrtonbet-mansour7018 No, it was not. I don't need to do any research, that has been long established. The New Testament was written in Greek and then translated into Syriac/Aramaic. While the Old Testament was first written in Hebrew and then translating into Greek, Aramaic and so on.
@aaaaaa-mh2vq
Жыл бұрын
Why don’t you enlighten every one saying NO to a 17 year old Is not the way to teach youngsters Neither teaches ANYTHING to Others that do not care about bible But care about their blood connection to other Proud Assyrians . Church & religion are personal matters no need to Flag them.
@YaldaProductions
Жыл бұрын
@@petarjovanovic1481 That's Interesting, what year was it when the New Testament was written in Greek and who was it written by?
@betnahrain6459
Жыл бұрын
There are parts of the old Testament written originally in Aramaic. Even original parts were found im qumran.
Very good 👍👍👍👍
ܚܝܬ ܣܒܪܝܢܐ... ܘܚܝܐ ܐܘܡܬܢ ܐܬܘܪܝܬܐ
@bratwurststattsucuk4517
Жыл бұрын
What does that mean ? Intresting Script
@eshosora9339
Жыл бұрын
@@bratwurststattsucuk4517 it 's Assyrian Alpha Beta.. wishing for her and for Assyrian Nation, lon live.
@bratwurststattsucuk4517
Жыл бұрын
@@eshosora9339 Oh nice. Do a lot of Assyrians speak it ? Or is the language vulnerable or near extinction
@SuryoyoAramean
Жыл бұрын
@@bratwurststattsucuk4517 It is Aramaic. To be precise it is Syriac Aramaic alphabet. ‘’Assyrian’’ is a wrong name/term for the people and language. We are miscalled by this name by British in the 19th century. We are Arameans/Syriacs. ܐܚܢܐ ܥܡܐ ܐܪܡܝܐ .ܒܣܝܡܐ ܪܒܐ
@eshosora9339
Жыл бұрын
@@bratwurststattsucuk4517 all the assyrians speak it. but not all of them knew writeing with it.