Assyrians around the world marked Martyrs Day last weekend with church services and commemorative events for the Assyrian victims of genocide, particularly across the 20th and 21st centuries.

The Sydney-based The Young Assyrians and the Assyrian National Council -- Australia showcased scholarly talent amongst the Australian Assyrian and Australian Hellenic communities, supported by Federal and NSW Member of Parliaments, local councillors and the Armenian National Committee of Australia.

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The Keynote Address at both the Assyrian Genocide Lecture and 'When the Chain of Generations was Broken' Photographic Exhibition (Friday, August 7) and the official Commemoration at the Assyrian Genocide Memorial in Smithfield, NSW (Sunday, August 9) were delivered by Melbourne's Dr Themistokles Kritikakos.

Speaking about 'Intergeneration Trauma and Connection with the Anzacs', Dr Kritikakos drew on his research into Assyrian, Armenian and Hellenic Genocide recognition in 21st century Australia in presenting a series of his findings.

Related: The Assyrian Genocide

Dr Kritikakos' central message was simple: the combined efforts of the Australian Assyrian, Australian Armenian and Australian Hellenic communities have brought academic, political and social recognition within Australian society of the triple genocides of 1914-1924.

Combining seamlessly with Dr Kritikakos' address, Dr Michelle Shamoell presented on 'The Intergenerational Trauma of Genocide and the Healing Process'. Dr Shamoell focused on how trauma is transmitted across generations and ways people deal with this trauma.

Alongside Dr Kritikakos at the official Commemoration at the Assyrian Genocide Memorial was Dr Panayiotis Diamadis. A nearly 30-year veteran of the struggle for Assyrian, Armenian and Hellenic Genocide recognition in Australia, Dr Diamadis focused on the strategic role of education.

As of January 2027, Year 9 and Year 10 students in NSW will be engaging with Australian civic action and humanitarian relief during World War One and its aftermath. This includes the efforts to save our ancestors from the genocidal designs of the Ottoman Empire and its successor state.

As Dr Diamadis stated: "It is impossible to understand Australian civic action and humanitarian relief without looking at the policies and events which created the need for this relief... These are Australian stories as much as they are Assyrian ones."

Adding to the strong Hellenic presence at the events was the Pontoxeniteas NSW Association represented by President Maria Anthony and Past President Helen Macris.