This is a calm, substantial, and accessible conversation—ideal for anyone who wants more light than heat on sensitive questions.
Comments on Patriarch Sako’s speech in Paris
Guest: Prof. Dr. Efrem Yildiz (University of Salamanca, Nineveh Academic Chair)
Host: Joseph Pirayou (Assyria TV – *In the Beginning, Ashur*)
Platform: Assyria TV (YouTube)
Duration: 58 minutes
Assyria TV invited Prof. Dr. Efrem Yildiz for a thoughtful, on-air analysis of Patriarch Louis Sako’s recent remarks in Paris. Guided by host Joseph Pirayou, this in-depth conversation explores the historical, linguistic, and theological threads that sit beneath today’s identity debates—without losing sight of the bigger goal: unity, education, and cultural continuity.
Drawing on decades of work in Semitic languages, biblical theology, and Assyrian history, Prof. Yildiz offers a measured critique focused on clarification rather than confrontation. He distinguishes ethnic identity from church affiliation, highlights how terms can be misused or misunderstood, and calls leaders and laypeople alike to prioritize love, learning, and constructive dialogue.
What you’ll hear in this interview
Context & clarity: What was actually said in Paris—and why precise language matters when discussing identity, faith, and history.
History over slogans: How sources, periods, and terminology should guide our self-understanding as a people.
Church & nation, side by side: Why religious belonging should not override national continuity, and how to speak about both responsibly.
A positive path forward: Prof. Yildiz’s core message—education, unity, and respect—as the practical way to strengthen Assyrian continuity worldwide.
Niniveh Academic Chair’s role: How research, training, and yearly congresses can anchor a long-term renaissance in language and history.
This is a calm, substantial, and accessible conversation—ideal for anyone who wants more light than heat on sensitive questions. If you care about Assyrian identity, language, and the health of our public discourse, this is time well spent.
