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Assyrian
Universal Alliance - Australia Chapter
Sydney
– 9 April 2018
Lieutenant
Colonel Sargis Sangari, USA (ret.), 7-9 APR 18 key leader and strategic
engagements in Australia, as we continue to create enduring and mutually
supportive relationships through a comprehensive approach to partnership.
Lieutenant
Colonel Sargis Sangari, USA (ret.), founder and CEO of the Near East Center for
Strategic Engagement (NEC-SE), and the founder and president of the United
Assyrian Appeal (UAA), had a very busy week in his short trip to Australia. He
conducted strategic level key leader engagements with key members of the
Australian Parliament for both State and Federal Houses and Ministers in the
Australian Government. He met with and briefed His beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia, Metropolitan
of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East Diocese of
Australia, New Zealand & Lebanon, and is honoured to have been given a tour
of the St. Narsai Assyrian Christian College, the only Assyrian College in the
world. LTC Sangari was requested to speak with and coordinated for future
engagements with the school’s staff principles in support of the Colleges
long-term strategic educational mission. LTC Sangari ended his trip by giving a
speech at a breakfast held in his honour by the Jewish Board of Deputies at the
Sydney’s Jewish War Museum. The meeting engagements were held at the request of
the various key leaders he met with and for the purpose of strengthening the
enduring partnership between the Assyrians political and religious leadership,
and the Government of Australia. The Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA)
scheduled and coordinating all of the meetings.
On
Saturday 7 April 2018, LTC Sangari accompanied by Mr hermiz Shahen, Deputy
Secretary General of the AUA and Mr. David David, Regional Secretary of the AUA
of Australia and New Zealand, attended a breakfast and school tour hosted by St
Narsai Assyrian Christian College staff and students at their new Horsley Park
location. LTC Sangari meet with His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia, Metropolitan of
the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East Diocese of Australia,
New Zealand & Lebanon, Mr Edwar Dinkha, Head of St Narsai Assyrian
Christian College, and a number of influential guests including the Hon Chris
Bowen MP, and Mr Chris Hayess MP. All of the VIP’s and other invites were given
a tour by the students and staff.
After
the school tour LTC Sangari, accompanied by Mr David David, attended a
previously requested meeting by Mar Meelis Zaia at his residence in Elizabeth
Hills. Over a period of approximately one and a half hours, LTC Sangari
provided a private briefing and discussion on key issues and topics affecting
the Assyrian community of Iraq and within the diaspora.
LTC
Sangari began the briefing by congratulating his Beatitude for the wonderful
achievements and tireless efforts and dedication to lead the Assyrian Church of
the East in Australia and asked him to continue to promote similar church and
educational programs throughout the world and pushed for a duplication of the
current Australian generational programs in the United States under church
leadership. Mar Meelis Zaia asked about the structures and missions of the
NEC-SE and the United Assyrian Appeal. His Beatitude learned that key U.S.
political and government leaders have advocated in the past on behalf of UAA
missions. LTC Sangari also briefed Mar Meelis on the Assyrian national
standings to date in reference to security, development, and governance lines
of efforts covering strategic level issues and topics that have will be
affecting the Assyrian community over the next three years. Mar Meelis was additionally
briefed on the volatility of the situation faced by the Assyrian Christians in
the region, and the unilateral Assyrian security response to the genocide from
2014-2017. LTC Sangari also discussed the possible short-term and long-term
security, and development plans for the Assyrians given the situation demands
immediate remediation. Both sides will try to continue with a future return and
meeting engagement on the topics discussed.
On
Monday 9 April 2018, LTC Sangari together with Mr Shahen and Mr David attended
a breakfast hosted by the Jewish Board of Deputies in honour of LTC Sangari. Ms
Lynda Ben-Menashe and other staff members graciously welcomed LTC Sangari who
gave a presentation to the invited guests. The talk and the question and answer
period lasted for two hours. In the talk LTC Sangari highlighted the eternal
bounds between Assyria and Israel and the strategic security needs for the two
nations to work on common supporting goals within the region. LTC Sangari call
for action was for the Jewish communities such as the one in Australia and the
Government of Israel to recognize the Assyrian genocides specifically the 1933
and 2014 genocides to begin to strengthen the bound which God has forged
between the two nations. The question and answer period concentrated on the
topics of the strategic importance of an Assyrian state in the Middle East.
On
the same afternoon LTC Sangari and the AUA leads met with Mr Guy Zangari MP,
Member for Fairfield, Shadow Minister for Justice and Police, Shadow Minister
for Corrections, Shadow Minister for Emergency Services; Dr Hugh McDermott MP,
State Member for Prospect and Mr Chris Hayes MP, Chief Opposition Whip.
During
which AUA guest explained the tragic and dangerous situation that our people
are facing in Iraq and Syria. LTC Sangari spoke about the role Australia can
play in advocating for and empowering an Assyrian State. The AUA proposed a
plan of action and resolutions requesting to take the discussion further with
the Australian authorities. Various MP’s asked for supporting documents and
NEC-SE documents to detail the possible points of discussion in reference to
security, governance, and development lines of effort.
LTC
Sangari thanked the Australian chapter of AUA for organising all these meeting
in such a short and busy time.
LTC Sargis Sangari briefing at the Jewish Board of Deputies in Sydney
Meeting with Mr Guy Zangari MP, State Member for Fairfield
Meeting with Dr Hugh McDermott MP, State Member for Prospect
Meeting with Mr Chris Hayes MP, Chief Opposition Whip
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