His Holiness Meets AUA, Sydney

The Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) along with representatives of the Assyrian Australian National Federation (AANF) have called upon His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East during his Apostolic visit to Australia.

Present at the meeting, held on 28 September at the Archbishopric residence in Sydney, were His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia AM, Metropolitan of Australia, New Zealand and Lebanon, and representatives including Hermiz Shahen, deputy secretary general of the AUA, David David, executive committee member, Simon Essavian, president of the AANF, Johnson Jacob and Benjamin Benjamin.

The nationalistic bodies discussed updates and extended their congratulations to His Holiness for works achieved and currently ongoing in the global church.

Specifically, they applauded His Beatitude on the large work of the church in Metropolitan See of Sydney and the establishments under his care, including the Assyrian Schools, retirement village, reception centre and growing parishes.

The topic then turned to the state of our fellow Assyrians in the Middle East and in the western world, during which AUA and the Institution explained their role to the community in Australia and globally.

His Holiness referred to the high rate of migration from the homeland and the status of the Assyrian immigrants in the surrounding countries.

He further called for unity between our nationalistic associations and institutions. Our homeland is important to our nation, said His Holiness, and association bodies should work together for the greater good of our national identity.

At the conclusion, the AUA and the institution thanked His Holiness and all the prelates for their tireless work for the church and His Holiness returned the compliment and thanked them for their work in serving the nation.