I’ve been following the annual Assyrian New Year parade for decades, and while it has always been a highlight event drawing thousands, it has had its ups and downs. There have been years where attendance may have been relatively smaller due to political divisions or factions.
Since the easing of COVID restrictions starting in early 2022, attendance has steadily grown stronger. However, based on all the coverage I’ve been watching and reading since March 30, this year’s event could go down as one of the best and most popular Assyrian New Year events in decades, if not ever. While residents of Iraq still make up the majority of attendees, this year’s diaspora crowd is huge. Gishru, an organization proudly started by my cousin from Modesto, California, back in 2012 (though their trips started even earlier back in 2008), which connects youth from the diaspora to the homeland through in-person visits to Assyrian towns and regions in Iraq, had over 65 youth as part of their group this year! In addition to the Gishru effort, hundreds, if not thousands, came from other countries, including a significant group from Russia for the first time.
The more I witness these celebrations and events, the more eager I become to visit one day too. Even more exciting is how engaged the youth have become in this annual event. I bet these youth had little to no interest in these things a few years ago, but after seeing others engaged in this through social media, they feel like they want to be part of it too. It’s like a social contagion that can’t be contained or ignored.
In the last few years, I’ve written various articles about this phenomenon—how more and more people are moving back home, whether to live there, visit, or be part of annual events like the Assyrian New Year celebration. Heck, this is no longer just a once-a-year event; it’s more of a movement. That is, you don’t just visit once, have good memories, and move on with life. The majority of those who attend either become repeat visitors or become more engaged, whether as part of Gishru, ZOWAA, Assyrian Aid Society, or through their own efforts, including commercial and cultural endeavours.
I hope to compile a highlight video of major events I came across in the coming days, be it from the actual parade, the various celebrations, the visits to different place etc.
Great job to Gishru, ZOWAA, AAS and all others involved in this year’s festivities. The way this thing is growing year after year, it will start growing exponentially and it won’t be too long before you have close to 100K soon, and likely 250K in the next 5-10 years.
Where and how do you house, accommodate and transport all these people during these 1-2 weeks of parade festivities? A good problem to have, especially if it means booming business for our Assyrian businesses in the region. Wonder if we have any Assyrian hotel owners in the region? How about transportation companies to transport people to/from the airport, festivities, different villages, historical sites and churches etc. The possibilities ar le endless and I sincerely hope our people think about these possibilities. I am not saying we should turn this cultural event into a commercial one, but why not have both? Why not give our people who chose to stay back home some means to make good money from businesses that directly help with the successful running of the new year festivities.
Since the easing of COVID restrictions starting in early 2022, attendance has steadily grown stronger. However, based on all the coverage I’ve been watching and reading since March 30, this year’s event could go down as one of the best and most popular Assyrian New Year events in decades, if not ever. While residents of Iraq still make up the majority of attendees, this year’s diaspora crowd is huge. Gishru, an organization proudly started by my cousin from Modesto, California, back in 2012 (though their trips started even earlier back in 2008), which connects youth from the diaspora to the homeland through in-person visits to Assyrian towns and regions in Iraq, had over 65 youth as part of their group this year! In addition to the Gishru effort, hundreds, if not thousands, came from other countries, including a significant group from Russia for the first time.
The more I witness these celebrations and events, the more eager I become to visit one day too. Even more exciting is how engaged the youth have become in this annual event. I bet these youth had little to no interest in these things a few years ago, but after seeing others engaged in this through social media, they feel like they want to be part of it too. It’s like a social contagion that can’t be contained or ignored.
In the last few years, I’ve written various articles about this phenomenon—how more and more people are moving back home, whether to live there, visit, or be part of annual events like the Assyrian New Year celebration. Heck, this is no longer just a once-a-year event; it’s more of a movement. That is, you don’t just visit once, have good memories, and move on with life. The majority of those who attend either become repeat visitors or become more engaged, whether as part of Gishru, ZOWAA, Assyrian Aid Society, or through their own efforts, including commercial and cultural endeavours.
I hope to compile a highlight video of major events I came across in the coming days, be it from the actual parade, the various celebrations, the visits to different place etc.
Great job to Gishru, ZOWAA, AAS and all others involved in this year’s festivities. The way this thing is growing year after year, it will start growing exponentially and it won’t be too long before you have close to 100K soon, and likely 250K in the next 5-10 years.
Where and how do you house, accommodate and transport all these people during these 1-2 weeks of parade festivities? A good problem to have, especially if it means booming business for our Assyrian businesses in the region. Wonder if we have any Assyrian hotel owners in the region? How about transportation companies to transport people to/from the airport, festivities, different villages, historical sites and churches etc. The possibilities ar le endless and I sincerely hope our people think about these possibilities. I am not saying we should turn this cultural event into a commercial one, but why not have both? Why not give our people who chose to stay back home some means to make good money from businesses that directly help with the successful running of the new year festivities.
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