First Assyrian conference starting today in Mardin

Mardin Artuklu University, a pioneer in establishing Kurdish, Syriac and Arabic departments under Turkey's first Institute of Living Languages, is holding an international Assyrian conference beginning today. Many local and foreign scholars are attending the conference on "Culture, Language and Faith: Assyrian Studies as a Bridge." The event has three sections, focusing on the Bible, philosophy, and history. The conference, held with the cooperation of the Vienna-based Pro-Oriente Foundation, seeks to hold up Assyrians and their culture as one of the most important cultural elements of southeastern Turkey and Mardin in particular.